I did something foolish, I suppose — I got involved in a local theatrical production. I knew there was a risk, but they were using AEA COVID protocols, and I decided that it was time to come out of the hellish box of isolation I’d more or less been in for two years and do something in my field again. It felt great to be on stage again, creating again, doing something I do well again.
And wouldn’t you know it, after over two years of successfully dodging COVID, from being overly cautious in the beginning to masking at all times in public as things dragged on, through many artistic and professional sacrifices in the name of safety, the one night I let my guard down was the night I got exposed. Everyone got exposed. Show pushed back two weeks, everything up in the air, and I’d spent an entire day at home before I knew I’d been exposed.
As soon as I knew I’d been exposed, I went into isolation at home — full masking except to eat and sleep. Within 24 hours I began to feel off. I knew I’d been infected, despite testing negative on two different rapid antigen tests. Symptoms continued to worsen (bad cold/flu). I went to my local Walgreens to get a PCR test and hoped they did Test-to-Treat. I found out they did not, so I had to do a bunch of digging to find out where I could go to try and get antivirals.
I eventually found a CVS, got an appointed, went in for a test, came up positive, and (luckily?) was prescribed Paxlovid antiviral medication. I took my second dose this morning, and I have to tell you — it’s like night and day. I don’t feel wrecked or exhausted. I feel pretty good, actually. Just a little stuffy and a weird taste in my mouth (apparently the most common side effect of the medication).
However, I would not have been prescribed this medication if I hadn’t been 1) 46 years old 2) High BMI 3) History of smoking (I quit about 15 years ago).
This medication is a miracle, and it needs to be more readily available to people less at risk than I am. Just the first couple days of symptoms were nasty, and Paxlovid turned things around for me very quickly. If there’s not a risk of running out of the drug right now, and if it’s not dangerous to younger, more fit people than myself, we should make it more readily available and less restricted by factors like age, health, etc.
My wife and daughter continue to test negative, but I suspect it’s only a matter of time before they pop positive. Omicron is a beast that way, no matter how careful we are being about isolation me away from them. I don’t think they’ll let her have Paxolovid (she’s younger than me and never smoked).
Keep masking in public. Keep distancing. Stay safe.