What My Family Has Learned About COVID-19 During a Week of Isolation
By: Megan Lloyd Joiner
Tags: Quarantine, Isolation, Coronavirus, Testing, Covid 19

Testing is not reliable.

Rapid (antigen) tests are quite often inaccurate, making a negative test essentially meaningless. They are simply not sensitive enough to detect the virus — especially if someone is asymptomatic or having mild symptoms (and little nasal congestion). A positive rapid test can be trusted, but not a negative one.

PCR tests, considered the “gold standard,” are better, but also not reliable. When I tested negative twice (first test on Day 1 of symptoms, second on Day 5), I was told by the hospital that “we see this all the time.” Considering my symptoms (loss of taste and smell, body aches, stomach upset, headache), I was told that I was “presumed positive” and should continue to isolate for 10–14 days.

Multiple doctors told us stories of people testing negative, then a few days later testing positive. Or negative on one test and positive on another. I read a story about a man who tested negative throughout his illness only to test positive with antibodies after it had run its course. A family member shared the same scenario with us about her bout with COVID last spring.

So what about all those folks all around the country (and world) getting tested in order to go home and see Grandma for the holidays? Yup, that’s right. Not reliable.

For more, check out this article in the NY Times from 12/23/20.

2. Not everyone runs a fever.

I have not had a fever throughout the course of this illness. Apparently, only about half of those infected have a fever.

3. Distance is key (even with masks).

When I spoke to contact tracers from my employer, I told them about people I had been in contact with on the two days prior to symptoms starting. As requested, I reported contacts at work and in the community. They asked about contacts both inside and outside.

I am always masked, I insisted. Masked and goggled at work in all interactions, according to protocol. Masked in the community (usually with a procedure mask vs. a cloth one). Masked with my parents.

Masking did not factor into the contact tracing. The criteria for a “close contact” was anyone that I had been with closer than six feet for 15 minutes or longer. The 15 minutes could be cumulative (ie. 2 mins here, another 5 there, etc.).

Keep your distance, folks.

We’ve concluded that the best combination is mask + distance + outside.

4. Isolation means isolation.

The hospital told me that I shouldn’t be inside with my family even if we had access to n95 masks. And that if other family members developed symptoms, we should continue to isolate separately if possible.

Why? (I was desperate to go home and desperate for company.)

The virus is mutating, they said.

I could have a mild strain and pass it to another member of my family. They could develop a much more serious strain and become quite ill.

If more than one person had symptoms, and we isolated together, we could pass variant strains to each other, causing us to become sicker. Another factor was the possibility of increased viral load if we were to isolate together.

I am highly aware of the privilege inherent in being able to isolate completely from my family in a stand-alone separate space with a private bathroom. Most are not able to do this, which explains a lot of the spread.

5. The super-contagious version of the virus being reported in the UK is likely already in the US I was told when I reported my symptoms.

6. Loss of taste and smell is associated with a milder course of illness.

This has proven true for me, and, for this, I am grateful.