stay vigilant
A month ago, my wife decided to take our son to the in-laws. Seems simple enough, but here in pandemic land, it’s complicated. First, we had to stop seeing my parents for a week and a half. Then she’d be able to go visit for a week with less risk of accidental transmission. And when they came back, we’d have to quarantine again before our son could see my parents again.
That was the plan, but last Thursday, I started coughing. I had a few glasses of scotch Wednesday night with friends (virtually) for St Patrick’s Day, and I rarely drink anymore, so it seemed like a standard whiskey growl. The kind of throaty morning-after where I’d be in my right mind to record some blues music. But when Friday and Saturday came along and I was still hoarse, we got a bit concerned.
I called my mom: “I’ve got a bit of a cough, so I don’t think we should visit tomorrow.” I could hear the disappointment in her voice, “but we haven’t seen Ollie for a whole month!” It took some convincing but we eventually agreed it was the right thing to do. But just like all the times before, we both wondered if these precautions were a little neurotic: I have no fever and no other symptoms. It’s probably just the whiskey, right? Or maybe the common cold.
The next day, I tested positive for COVID-19. No need for concern, I’m fine, symptoms are pesky but mild and we’re hunkering down in self-isolation for the full 10 days. But the point is this: if we had gone to visit my elderly parents, I’m not sure they would have gotten off so easy.
For those of you unvaccinated and still in range of this pandemic, I know how often the lockdown procedures feel like overkill. I know the FOMO when you see some risk-taker out there living life as if nothing’s wrong. But stay vigilant, y’all. All the masks, excessive hand-washing, and socially distanced walks are worth it. It took a lot of endurance, but a year after the lockdown started, we are beyond glad that we were still being cautious enough when it really mattered.