# Does anyone here know anyone personally who has been diagnosed, or has been yourself? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [March 21, 2020, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-here-know-anyone-personally-who-has-been-diagnosed-or-has-been-yourself/849941 "2020-03-21T06:01:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2020, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-here-know-anyone-personally-who-has-been-diagnosed-or-has-been-yourself/849941/61 "2020-04-01T12:35:27Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Up to seven family members of friends now. Two hospitalized, three in home quarantine. The other two dead. They’re not allowing funerals or wakes. Direct cremation without family present only. WhyNot, I am so sorry for your loss. (And JoseB, I so hope that things turn out okay). ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2020, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-here-know-anyone-personally-who-has-been-diagnosed-or-has-been-yourself/849941/62 "2020-04-01T13:02:36Z")
Yup, my sister. She’s at home recovering pretty well, and trying to isolate from her husband on opposite sides of the house. ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2020, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-here-know-anyone-personally-who-has-been-diagnosed-or-has-been-yourself/849941/63 "2020-04-01T13:51:11Z")
My cousin in Belgium. He recovered. ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-here-know-anyone-personally-who-has-been-diagnosed-or-has-been-yourself/849941/64 "2020-04-02T12:48:38Z")
I got a call from my county health department yesterday (I’m also an employee of said county) notifying me that, on March 17, I was exposed someone who has since tested positive. Based on my activities that day, it had to be someone I work with or, at least, in the same small building. I don’t know how far back they went or how far along in the disease the infected person may have been at the time but I do know there were no known cases on March 17 in the county. I’ve haven’t had the slightest bit ill and am now past the maximum “time to show symptoms”, so I’m in the clear. Dodged a bullet, I guess. I’ve been off work and self isolating since March 20 but am still getting paid. Its like a boring vacation but I know that I’m more fortunate than many. ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-here-know-anyone-personally-who-has-been-diagnosed-or-has-been-yourself/849941/65 "2020-04-02T14:13:24Z")
You know, if ever there was a time when it would be nice to see people’s locations (actual locations, not some coy line in that space that reveals nothing), it would now. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-here-know-anyone-personally-who-has-been-diagnosed-or-has-been-yourself/849941/66 "2020-04-02T15:06:57Z")
> [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](#): > > You know, if ever there was a time when it would be nice to see people’s locations (actual locations, not some coy line in that space that reveals nothing), it would now. Yes, but then They might find us. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-here-know-anyone-personally-who-has-been-diagnosed-or-has-been-yourself/849941/67 "2020-04-02T18:57:10Z")
> [@Die\_Capacitrix](#): > > An elderly man who I used to babysit for, is in the hospital with COVID. I haven’t seen him in many years, but my parents are still in touch with him, and he still attends the same church. > > He smoked \> 40 years, and only stopped after his heart attack 2 years ago. And he’s gone, 13 days after diagnosis. Not far from the Washington state hotspots. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-here-know-anyone-personally-who-has-been-diagnosed-or-has-been-yourself/849941/68 "2020-04-02T21:13:18Z")
I’m very sorry. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-here-know-anyone-personally-who-has-been-diagnosed-or-has-been-yourself/849941/69 "2020-04-02T22:10:51Z")
I just did one of these --\> :smack:. I was in California, specifically, LA, and more specifically, Legoland, in late December-early January. Returned Jan. 3. Which means I was in LAX on Jan. 3. Have not left the state, or for that matter, Greater Indianapolis Area, since. I heard about the coronavirus in China, the one that had not reached the US as soon as it was happening. The first confirmed US case was Jan. 19, 2020, in Seattle, someone who had just returned from Wuhan. Indiana’s first confirmed case was March 6. I did not realize until a few days ago that nausea and diarrhea could be a first-onset symptom Sometime before the first Indiana case, but more than 2 weeks after I had been in LAX, I woke up with a migraine, which is really unusual for me-- I get them in the late afternoon. I was really nauseated, and threw up once, although it was just a sort of baby-puke kind of thing. Took sumatriptan, and it all went away. That evening, I had diarrhea. I have IBS, so nothing out of the ordinary about that, though. Took an immodium, and it went away. Next day, nose was running, and I was coughing a little, but it was productive. I get seasonal allergies, and post-nasal drip that can cause a cough. Didn’t think anything of it. Took a decongestant, and a Claritin, and it went away. Was tired for a day, and slept more than usual. But had had a bad night of sleep when I woke up with the headache, and I get bad insomnia sometimes, so again, didn’t think anything of it. My neck was kinda stiff too, but I had a very bad case of whiplash last November, and I’d been trying to taper off my PT exercises. Started doing them again, and the pain went away. Woke up three days after the headache incident, feeling clearer-headed than I had in a while-- didn’t even realize I had been a little fuzzy until it was gone. Drank a strong cup of coffee, and have been feeling fine since. Never took my temp, because these didn’t seem like warning flags at the time. Get a runny nose when I’m out in the cold, but I always get that, and some heavy throat-clearing goes with it, but no cough. So, that could have been a mild case, I suppose. However, I don’t know anyone who has been sick, either before or after. The only places I can really imagine being exposed was at LAX, or my synagogue, and if there were a case at shul, I’m pretty sure I would have heard. I had this “thing” more than two weeks after being at LAX, though. The only way I can imagine being exposed at LAX would be if my son, who was there with me, was the one who actually caught it, and was TOTALLY asymptomatic, then passed it on to me. I could squeeze a month from the LAX time. Part of the problem is, I don’t remember when it actually happened. I’m sure it was before the first Indiana case, because after, I was paranoid about every cough and sniffle, and taking my temp all the time AFTER the first Indiana case, and I _know_ I never took my temp during the “thing.” It could have happened around Feb 3, but I think it was later, like Feb 27-March 3, or thereabouts. So, what happened? Mild Covid-19, or series of coincidences? I really don’t know what to think. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-here-know-anyone-personally-who-has-been-diagnosed-or-has-been-yourself/849941/70 "2020-04-05T18:41:41Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > I do now. Former housemate of ours just posted his positive status. His surviving family just posted his _deceased_ status. So now someone I knew personally is dead from this ☹ ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-here-know-anyone-personally-who-has-been-diagnosed-or-has-been-yourself/849941/71 "2020-04-05T21:56:44Z")
**AHunter3** , so sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-here-know-anyone-personally-who-has-been-diagnosed-or-has-been-yourself/849941/72 "2020-04-05T22:00:07Z")
My stepmother in NY has continued to improve slowly. The hospital is cautiously optimistic and is stopping the sedatives to see how she fares before attempting to extubate her. Fingers crossed! Dad is still symptom-free and his quarantine ends tomorrow. He plans to celebrate by taking out the trash. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-here-know-anyone-personally-who-has-been-diagnosed-or-has-been-yourself/849941/73 "2020-04-05T22:23:33Z")
> [@Eva\_Luna](#): > > My stepmother in NY has continued to improve slowly. The hospital is cautiously optimistic and is stopping the sedatives to see how she fares before attempting to extubate her. Fingers crossed! > > Dad is still symptom-free and his quarantine ends tomorrow. He plans to celebrate by taking out the trash. Glad for some positive news (even if cautious…). 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-here-know-anyone-personally-who-has-been-diagnosed-or-has-been-yourself/849941/74 "2020-04-05T22:25:19Z")
Another anecdote: In January my son got very sick with symptoms that now look a lot like Covid-19. He had a terrible cough, extreme joint aches, a high fever, etc. He was sick for over a week. At the same time I developed a cough that is still with me, and I feel constantly like there are butterflies in my chest. But no other symptoms. I’m in Edmonton, and our first confirmed case came long after that, so he probably just had the flu. But on the other hand, there seem to be a lot of people saying they had a ‘weird flu’ with severe symptoms in December and January. So I have to wonder if possibly an earlier strain of this went through the population and it had milder symptoms and was just constantly misdiagnosed as flu. I’ve read some speculation that this may explain the difference in fatality rates between the west coast and the east coast. There was a spike in ‘flu’ complaints on the west coast a few months back, and maybe that was actually coronavirus and many people picked up an immunity from the earlier strain? Probably not. It was probably just the flu. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-here-know-anyone-personally-who-has-been-diagnosed-or-has-been-yourself/849941/75 "2020-04-05T23:41:11Z")
BiL’s family. Guy in his 80s. Was in ICU. Currently improved and recovering. Only sharing because it’s a hopeful thing. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-here-know-anyone-personally-who-has-been-diagnosed-or-has-been-yourself/849941/76 "2020-04-05T23:50:23Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I have a group of women friends who’ve known each other for 40-ish years and get together monthly, more or less. The son-in-law of one of them has been diagnosed. He and wife (friend’s daughter) live in a different city. The son-in-law is feeling better, but now the wife (friend’s daughter) is feeling quite ill. She’s at home. > [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > …But on the other hand, there seem to be a lot of people saying they had a ‘weird flu’ with severe symptoms in December and January. So I have to wonder if possibly an earlier strain of this went through the population and it had milder symptoms and was just constantly misdiagnosed as flu. > > … Ditto this. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-here-know-anyone-personally-who-has-been-diagnosed-or-has-been-yourself/849941/77 "2020-04-05T23:52:11Z")
duplicate ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-here-know-anyone-personally-who-has-been-diagnosed-or-has-been-yourself/849941/78 "2020-04-06T01:52:59Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > I’m in Edmonton, and our first confirmed case came long after that, so he probably just had the flu. But on the other hand, there seem to be a lot of people saying they had a ‘weird flu’ with severe symptoms in December and January. So I have to wonder if possibly an earlier strain of this went through the population and it had milder symptoms and was just constantly misdiagnosed as flu. > > I’ve read some speculation that this may explain the difference in fatality rates between the west coast and the east coast. There was a spike in ‘flu’ complaints on the west coast a few months back, and maybe that was actually coronavirus and many people picked up an immunity from the earlier strain? > > Probably not. It was probably just the flu. I’ve heard similar stories here in Regina, over Christmas and into January, especially with people saying it came back and they got sick again a few weeks later. Heard people say it was a really, really bad cold and surprising in how long it lingered. Probably will never know, unless it shows up in blood tests. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-here-know-anyone-personally-who-has-been-diagnosed-or-has-been-yourself/849941/79 "2020-04-06T01:59:33Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > I’ve heard similar stories here in Regina, over Christmas and into January, especially with people saying it came back and they got sick again a few weeks later. Heard people say it was a really, really bad cold and surprising in his long it lingered. > > Probably will never know, unless it shows up in blood tests. I asked the question a few weeks ago in GQ if it was possible that the virus was here at the end of last year. The consensus was no. ---
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-here-know-anyone-personally-who-has-been-diagnosed-or-has-been-yourself/849941/80 "2020-04-06T02:24:10Z")
A friend of my parents recently died of coronavirus. But he was 89 and in poor health. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-here-know-anyone-personally-who-has-been-diagnosed-or-has-been-yourself/849941.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-here-know-anyone-personally-who-has-been-diagnosed-or-has-been-yourself/849941.md?page=5)