Áine Kenny: Even lying down was hard with Covid-19

Áine Kenny: 'What frightens me about this is that there are many people who think "not detected" equals "negative" and they meet up with people'

I was hoping that 2021 would be better than 2020, but looking back, perhaps I was asking for too much. 

I tested positive for Covid-19 on January 2, but I spent New Year's Eve shivering in bed, listening to the sounds of fireworks banging outside my window, hoping that I would make it to the next week.

My immediate family all got Covid shortly after Christmas. We have no idea how we caught the virus. 

My twin sister and I, who live in Cork, hadn't been home since the second lockdown came into force. We were looking forward to seeing our family again after months apart, when travel was permitted again on December 18.

This weekend, if you have symptoms of #COVID19 call your GP Out Of Hours service immediately. The GP will talk to you over the phone and can arrange a free test. Remember you must self-isolate to stop the spread.#StaySafe pic.twitter.com/pSBy9dmmqZ

— HSE Ireland (@HSELive) January 15, 2021

My mother and sister both had symptoms first, around December 27, but nothing we were alarmed about. They had a sore throat and sinus-related complaints. 

My mother has been working from home since the pandemic started and my younger sister is still in school. No one they came into contact with the week prior had any symptoms or positive tests.

They rang our GP and were referred for a test, as we expected, due to the growing number of cases.

The next day, we got a call from our GP, saying my younger sister had tested positive. A few hours later, the same phone call, but for my mother. We were in shock. Neither had a fever, loss of taste or smell, shortness of breath or a persistent cough.

The following day, I started to feel really tired. My throat started to itch and my nose felt blocked. 

Since we were all deemed close contacts, we had already been sent for testing. The rest of my family then tested positive.

My boyfriend, who had come down to us for Christmas, got a "not detected" result, but was floored with symptoms on January 3, the day after we were tested. 

What frightens me about this is that there are many people who think "not detected" equals "negative" and they meet up with people, especially those who are asymptomatic. 

Thankfully, the only person we had infected was my poor boyfriend. We met up with no extended family over Christmas. 

Isolation then began, along with more severe symptoms. I am 24 with no underlying conditions. 

I had a racing heart, and felt like someone was standing on my chest. I had barely any cough, and as a person prone to chest infections, I was surprised by this.

Then came the fatigue. It was indescribable. I could barely sit at the table to eat my dinner. Even lying down was hard, with the constant pressure on my chest and my now-shallow breathing. 

Sleep did not help. Nothing helped – only time.

After about 10 days, I felt like I was getting better, but I still tire more easily and I am not 100%. 

Strangely, my twin sister had barely any symptoms. She had a sore throat, a slight tightness in her chest, and felt a bit tired. My father says he only had vertigo. The rest of us, meanwhile, were barely able to walk around the house. 

We all must stay at home to protect ourselves and those we love. If you have #COVID19 symptoms, self-isolate (stay in your room) and call your GP. If you are a close contact of a positive case, restrict your movements (stay at home) for 14 days. #StaySafe pic.twitter.com/1gqCCbdRjT

— HSE Ireland (@HSELive) January 15, 2021

Would my father and sister have been tested, had they not been close contacts? Would they have isolated? 

Many GPs are now telling anyone with a sniffle to stay at home. I implore you to follow this advice – you don't think it will happen to you until it does.

When I was at the height of my illness, I used to see people complain on Twitter about having to go for "another walk". 

That used to be me, giving out about the mundaneness of lockdown. Now that my quarantine is up, I can appreciate the little things, like being able to leave the house. Don't take it for granted, and protect your health, as well as others.