On December 31, my husband returned home with news we had both feared for months: he had tested positive for COVID-19. A seemingly common seasonal cold turned out to be the virus. Three days later, a doctor confirmed that I was also a COVID statistician from New York City. Somehow, even after nine months of pandemic, we didn’t feel fully prepared.
This is what I would like to know.
Get ready with a COVID kit at home. Fortunately, my husband and I had relatively mild cases that felt more like colds in the head in the early days. He had a fever briefly and neither had a bad cough. It wasn’t until day six or seven of our COVID timelines that we lost our taste and smell; this would have been our great indicator of COVID if we had not been tested before.
I say this because everyone has to take seriously even the basic symptoms of the common cold. It’s essential that you isolate yourself until you can get tested, which means you want a “COVID kit” of over-the-counter medications prepared at home. That way you won’t have to go to the pharmacy (and risk infecting others) for basics like Tylenol, cough suppressant, cough drops, VapoRub, sinus decongestants, and over-the-counter medications. night relief. We read labels to see how the ingredients interacted with each other and tracked when we took medication with a notepad in the fridge.
Other things you will want in your kit are a thermometer and maybe an oximeter, rubber or latex gloves and wipes or spray to disinfect common areas. This is particularly important for those who live in apartment buildings and may need to go out (e.g., letting go of a dog).
Create a support plan. Many families create “disaster plans” by establishing a protocol on what to do in the event of an emergency. It’s a good idea to have a sketch in case a family member, especially the one you live with, tests positive. If your parents are sick but your children are staying healthy, discuss a strategy on how to keep them safe and isolated from you.
Really, not everyone in the same home can be isolated. Like many New Yorkers, we don’t have a second bathroom or a guest bedroom, so once my husband tested positive, it seemed like a matter of time. But at the very least, anyone can wear masks and gloves to community spaces at home. You can also make a plan on how to get food, neighbors, or delivery services to stop eating. You should also have some canned or dried goods on hand in case you need a day or two to fix everything.
Look for free trial sites. Part of your COVID plan should include knowing exactly where and how you can take the test. Ideally, those who suspect they are positive should look for test sites to prevent them from being indoors with other people. You can also investigate whether your area provides free trials to reduce potential cost. Be sure to search through government websites to avoid possible scams.
When I was able to get a test appointment, I was already pretty confident about the result. So I wore rubber gloves in addition to the mask when I went to CityMD to get tested. Even for the registration process, I only used one gloved hand and brought wipes to disinfect things like the iPads I had to touch.
Get ready to negotiate medical bills. Many people will not have the same fairly mild COVID experience as I do and may end up needing hospitalization or additional visits to a doctor. In case you run out of medical bills, it is important to know that you have the power to negotiate. First, you will need to request a detailed bill to check for possible errors or incorrect medical codes. Second, call the hospital directly and ask about the income-based reduction programs. If you are not eligible, you can ask to set up a term plan or, if possible, see if you can get a discount to pay the lump sum.
You should also call your doctor’s office within 60 days of your visit to keep track of any bills to prevent items from being sent to collections and not to damage your credit score.
Don’t discount your mental health. This is one of the hardest parts of having COVID-19. Isolation, combined with the shame of contracting the disease and the fear of who else might have endangered it, can be overwhelming. Then there is the stress that at any time your illness could get worse and you could put yourself in a ventilator. For those who are already prone to anxiety or depression, this can be a dangerous mix. Don’t rule out the need to take mental health seriously, especially if you live alone.
Make plans to have virtual and regular contact with loved ones. There are also resources for affordable telotherapy, such as Open Path Psychotherapy Collective, National Alliance on Mental Disness Disease (NAMI) HelpLine, or apps like Talkspace or Betterhelp. Your state may also offer options (New York State has a COVID-19 emotional helpline).
I am optimistic that mass vaccination will allow the U.S. to reopen safely and bring us back to a new normal. But there could be many more months. We all need to be careful, take our cold symptoms seriously, and be prepared for what lies ahead.
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