John Akins: Essential Work and Having COVID


March 25, 2021

By John Akins, Ethel, Missouri

My wife is an essential health care worker in a nursing home. After a year of almost fanatical devotion to safety protocols the virus was able to breach our "walls." She tested positive we're assuming from close contact with an infected resident.

As with most long time married couples we share everything, and unfortunately this time it was the virus she shared. Thank God our symptoms were relatively mild. I probably would have written mine off as the flu had I not known about COVID and my exposure through her. Her's were so mild that she didn't miss a day of work. Don't worry she only cared for residents who had tested positive and were in an isolated section of the nursing home.

We've both received our vaccinations and are looking forward to a return to a more normal life

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