Last week, some information came across to me as a harbinger of trepidation. I was told I came in contact with a confirmed case of the recently maybe-not-so-dreaded Coronavirus disease. Two friends of mine who had a screening test done as a requirement for school resumption tested positive and had reported to the isolation centre for admission. As soon as I got that information my throat began to itch. Coronavirus had finally gotten to me.

Let me tell you how it all happened.

While these colleagues of mine awaited the results of the test taken, we spent a whole day together eating, talking and working. Seeing that the reason for their testing was a routine screening exercise, we didn’t think it was necessary for them to self isolate. And we had spent the past six weeks or more together in the same working space so any transmission would have occurred. 

So the information they tested positive came as a shock to me and contact tracing became stark reality. I was informed I would need to have my own screening done along with other people who had contact with the confirmed cases. But as usual, we had to wait a few days to get tested because of the bureaucratic bottle necks and a guess what? Yeah, a scarcity of test kits! Can you imagine? 

Now, a glimmer of hope in this awry situation was that both friends were both asymptomatic, so I was banking on some claims made earlier about world health bodies that questioned the veracity of asymptomatic patients transmitting the virus. Yes I know, it was just a claim but I needed to hold unto something to keep my sanity through this period.
The next few days were filled with covid-19 symptoms; sore throat, cough, fever and body weakness. These symptoms became anxiety points and I began to wonder if I had transmitted the infection to my family. And that singular fact was the scariest possibility I was hoping not to be true. So every cough at home became suspect. I became cautious of my movement and how close I sat to family members. My parents took the news with real maturity and I can say their calmness rubbed off on me and gave me some hope. 

The day of testing came and the surveillance team came and took data as regards symptomatology and possible high risk exposure. The samples were then taken by a man fully cladded in personal protective equipment; a swab in the mouth and then another through the nose to the nasopharynx. So the wait for the results was next. But what more could I do but hope it stopped at me. 

My family and I have prayed a lot of times during the pandemic for God’s protection against the virus. And I believed this was a question of faith and it was indeed a time to demonstrate how God did protect us. Even if I did test positive, then I believe God would fashion out what His ultimate will for my life will be through such experience. 

Well, I took the COVID-19 test and glory to God, the results came back negative. 

ANYAM EMMANUEL
MBBS SET 2016