Stacey Ritzen
Coronavirus cases are currently surging across much of the country, and with widespread vaccinations months away, things are likely to get worse before they get better. Those who have had COVID-19 typically face a long road to recovery, even in best-case scenarios, and may wish that there were things they had known about contracting the virus that could have helped them in retrospect.
Queens-based writer Megan McNally, who was recently diagnosed with COVID-19, took to Twitter this week to share the things that she wished people had told her before she tested positive for COVID-19—both before and after contracting the virus.
“Hey everyone! When I tested positive for [COVID-19], it was really hard to find any information about how to handle it besides, ‘Don’t get covid and wear a mask’ (which, yes, wear your mask!),” McNally wrote. “But here’s a resource thread for if you or [if a loved one] tests positive.”
Though McNally stresses that she is not a medical professional and that everyone’s symptoms are different, she went on to list things she had wished that she had personally known before her own bout with the virus. Having said that, she emphasizes that loss of taste can be your biggest clue.
“This post is not a ‘don’t worry it’s fine throw all caution to the wind because now you know what to do’ post,” McNally added. “This is an ‘in case of emergency, here’s the information I did not know.'”
She also directed people to a COVID-19 ICU nurse who has provided useful advice on proning, since it’s a concept most people are unfamiliar with.
She later reiterated that these are just some things that have been working for her, and thanked the doctors and nurses who had stumbled across the thread to offer additional advice.
Of course, McNally is one of the lucky ones, in that she survived to tell the tale, so she can hopefully help others. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so mask up, because there’s a light at the end of the tunnel if we all just play it safe.