Getting COVID

Almost two years into COVID-19, we finally got it. It started with me, with both vaccinations but not yet a booster, and probably was picked up during the only time we went to a restaurant (and thus ate without masks on) though no-one else in the group picked it up then (the other adults had either all had COVID-19 or had had their booster). I only found out a few days after the meal when I went to get my test a day before my planned flight.

 

Not displaying any symptoms I even paid for a second one, which was also positive, and then the day after that I began to get a sore throat. It lasted a couple of days and was soothed with Strepsils, and then that was it (though the lateral flow tests were still positive until about a week after the initial test). It was not really possible to isolate from my family, so a couple of days later Hannah tested positive and the day after that Leah did too. Neither had any real symptoms although each was quite tired and sleepy for a day or so. Eventually, almost once I was negative, Andrea also tested positive. Unfortunately also only finding out when she went for her pre-flight test (and only getting a mild cough for a few hours a day or two later). She had had the booster when she was in Germany before the UK, so it must have helped, but eventually gave in after living with 3 positive people for a week!

 

My mum, who had had the virus a year earlier and one vaccination never got it from us again, probably showing the strength of natural immunity from prior infection vs vaccination (though the extra vaccination in affect was like a booster presumably).

 

So apart from messing up flights and travel plans until we were negative, and disrupting some activities whilst isolating, it was not a particular big deal, most likely because we were all vaccinated, relatively young, and because it was presumably the Omicron variant which is less severe than previous ones.

 

We have been fortunate though as I know many people who have been in hospital with COVID-19 and some people who have lost family members. Anyway, as things look now, it looks like everything will be back to normal soon with the virus being treated the same as a cold or flu without any specific measures (maybe the odd optional vaccine), needing to count cases (if they don't really lead to hospitalizations then case numbers are irrelevant) or anything else.