The Millstone Times April 2020

Central New Jersey Residents And Readers Of The Millstone Times Share Their Stories of Testing Positive for COVID-19 By Lauren Kowlacki With more of our neighbors testing positive for the coronavirus every day, the pandemic's effects are being felt across the counties of New Jersey and the world. This virus doesn't discriminate. Young and old, from all so- cio-economic backgrounds, have tested positive for COVID-19. Gunther Publishing spoke with five residents who have tested positive for the virus. They each shared their fears and surprise at learning they contracted it and described dealing with recuperation. A 21year old male who came home from his last semester at college, who wants to remain anonymous, experienced a loss of appetite, sense of taste and smell, experienced extreme nausea and felt weaker each day. His parents took him to get tested. He is home and self-isolating. He remains in shock. “I am a healthy athlete,” he stated. A 71-year-old male, who also would like to remain anonymous, called Gunther Publishing when he received a recent issue of Princeton’s AskThe Doctor Magazine explaining that he couldn’t get out of bed. He too felt a loss of smell and taste for over a week. After about 7 days, he reached a high temperature of 101 and that is when he realized he must go get tested. He tested positive for COVID-19 and remains positive and in isolation at a local hospital. “My spirits are high and hopeful, that is all I can be.” A female, age 20, had returned from classes at a Massachusetts university at the beginning of the Pandemic when her school closed with what she thought was just spring allergies or the common cold. She began to feel symptoms of a cough and dry throat, mixed with sweats and chills, she said. She said that after losing her sense of smell and taste, her mother took her to a CNJ Walk In Medical Office where they first tested her for the flu. She said doctors hesitated to test her for COVID-19 because they were saving tests for more vulnerable patients. We followed up with her 5 days after we spoke to her and her mom. Her symptoms got worse and was retested. She tested positive with less threatening symptoms and was sent home. She hopes her family does not contract this from her. A 56-year-old local business owner chose to self-isolate at home immediately when social-distancing was first recommended. He started feeling sick with a mild fever and chest tightness but is scared to leave his home and get tested. He said he was staying in his basement for more than a week, where his wife and children are leaving food and notes at the top of the basement door. He says that his iPhone facetime is the only thing keeping him sane. A 64-year-old named Mel returned from a vacation visiting family on the West Coast on March 11th. He explained that within 48 hours he started feel- ing symptoms that were described on the news. He went to his local hospital and tested positive for COVID-19. He recalls that his major symptoms were fever, loss of taste and feeling a tight chest. He quickly is feeling better now but is remaining home with his wife. COVID-19 is highly contagious and reaches all age groups. Gunther Publications is hoping that all our readers are take the coronavirus seriously. Gun- ther Publications wants to hear from our readers who have tested positive for coronavirus. If you have a story to tell, please contact us via email at info@ guntherpublications.com.

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