I got my positive test after I went to bed and I am now getting a stream of SMS and emails telling me to stay put.
It’s a surprise as it’s been three days since I did my test and five days since I had a bout of coughing which got me thinking I might be infected
I live in an 800 square foot flat in the City of London and my partner lives with me. We have a small stockpile of food for the days ahead and though both of us have fluey symptoms, I am more annoyed than frightened.
I guess I’ll be counted as one of the 57,000 who had tested positive yesterday and my testing positive is statistically insignificant, but it feels strange all the same, to “have it”.
Infact, I’m one of the 4% of Londoners who the ONS reckon were infected over the new year! You can see the impact of the new variant
So now the NHS have to work their backsides off to test and trace. I haven’t been to the shops but I have been out running and cycling as part of my exercise and I have details of my routes on my Fitbit. I haven’t seen a soul I know (but Stella) since before Christmas.
This gives me a sense of guilt but also a weird feeling of unreality. I ran nearly 12 kilometers between 6.30 and 8pm yesterday – how could I have Covid and do that?. What risk to others did I create running along the banks of the Thames from Tower to Vauxhall Bridge?
Immediate denial
Opening the mail and reading I was positive , my first thought was “false positive!”. Covid is not something to happen to white professionals who spend too much of their time writing blogs!
My second thought (and this is a wicked one) was that I had been better not to have tested and so serve our my period of infection in blissful ignorance. Normally I would be preparing to go to the Wesleyan Chapel this morning. I had a swim booked for this afternoon at the London Fields Lido, I am in my running gear as I type!
Which is why testing is – I guess – so important. Even though my symptoms were mild, they were enough to get me to run down to the Guildhall in the City. If I had not done so, I would be adding to the R still further (and the nearly three days that have passed since my test suggest there is a cost of delay – how high, I dread to think).
So what now?
In the short term, I will be staying inside, so will my partner. We love each other’s company and have found ways to carry on our work within the tiny confines of our flat.
Self-isolating is not a hardship though my body craves exercise like a puppy! I had to self- isolate twice over the summer as I had an operation.
And after isolation? We presumably have some kind of immunity? Does this mean we are de-prioritized for vaccinations?
The thought that I may now get properly sick and need to go to hospital is very far from the front of my mind, though I guess that possibility persists.
More likely though is that I and my partner spend a few days in isolation, thanking God that we are surviving a virus that has done others so much damage and that I got the test early.
Don’t feel COVID positive- but I am! pic.twitter.com/nNySY17UAC
— Henry Tapper (@henryhtapper) January 3, 2021
Henry
The good news is you discovered this early. Help your immune system by keeping up your exercise routine https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/hiit-belly-fat-burn-workout/2020/12/14/b6ad8b7a-3668-11eb-8d38-6aea1adb3839_story.html
Kind regards
John
Thanks for sharing the news. It brings home to us how easily this disease does spread when you are no doubt very careful and doing all we should to try to manage it. I’m sure the virus hangs in our air far too long to keep us safe even if we are always at a 2m distance. I recognise I run a risk as I go to Sainsbury’s this morning but I still need to stock up.
I pray you both continue feeling well, Henry. Keep blogging to update us!
Best wishes, Michelle
Hope it turns out to be asymptomatic for you both Henry.
I hope you and Stella continue to feel only mild symptoms. Best wishes
Hope you continue to only suffer mild symptoms and recovery is swift. You may wish to revisit the picture shared at the start of your post and redact some of that data.
May you both be fully recovered real soon with no lasting adverse impact, we need you!
Good positive thinking. Now you’ll be able to donate antibodies to help vulnerable with low immunity. https://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/covid-19-research/
Here’s to a speedy recovery!!
As others have said, Henry, here’s hoping and praying that you quickly recover, and Stella doesn’t go down with it. All the best my friend, rooting for you! Robin
As others have implied, Henry, it is good that this happened after you had upped your diet and exercise profile. I hope there are no complications. Regards,
Kate
Definitely worthwhile to have had your test done early.
At least your in good company with your partner and have found ways to carry on working within your flat.
If it’s any consolation, my 80 year old father tested positive but like yourself only showed mild symptoms. He’s fully recovered now.
Hopefully you’ll be ok and won’t develop full symptoms.
May good health envelop you both, spurring a quick recovery.
Glad to hear you only have mild symptoms.
I thought you were selected for a vaccine trial. Did you not get it?
I was originally accepted onto the Novavax test but then rejected because I was on anticoagulants – even when you test, you are only 50% certain you are getting the vaccine!
Hope you feel better soon and that the problem does not get worse. Take care.
Sorry to hear that Henry. Wishing you both a speedy recovery and thank you for your updates and insights
In order to service the NHS the least you should do is to feel COVID positive about it …