"I had COVID-19 and here’s my story"
Elizabeth Schneider says she hopes her experience will educate others
Elizabeth Schneider, a 37-year-old marketing manager who lives in Seattle, told KSAT that she contracted the virus at a small house party on Saturday, Feb. 22. Nobody felt ill at the time, but 40% of the attendees became sick within a few days of the party.
On Tuesday, Feb.25 after the party, Schneider said her fever spiked to 103 degrees (39,5) and stayed for first 3 days consistently (37,5 - 37,7) and then on and off after 3 days.
She had a headache, severe body aches, joint pain and severe fatigue.
On Mar. 7 (12th day), the research director told her that she had tested positive for COVID-19. By that time, she was feeling better.
Schneider said five of her friends (40% of folks were all sick within 3 days of attending the party all with the same/similar symptoms including fever) also tested positive.
“The symptoms appear to be different depending on your constitution and/or age,” Schneider wrote. Schneider said some other friends who were in their 40s and 50s had slightly different symptoms than she did. Each of them had a fever; hers lasted for 8 days. Some had some nausea, others had diarrhea. Very few had chest tightness or any respiratory symptoms.
Once the fever is gone some were left with nasal congestion, sore throat. Only a very few had a mild itchy cough. Very few had chest tightness or other respiratory symptoms.
Schneider said the illness lasted about 10-16 days for all of her friends. One of her friends developed “low-level pneumonia,” she said, but none of them had to be hospitalized.
It’s now been 15 days since she first started feeling symptoms. She said she’s no longer in isolation, but she’s still avoiding strenuous activity and large crowds, and she’s working from home.
Schneider said she wants people to know how easily it can spread and how long it lasts.
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