Cape Town - A healthcare technician has shared her story of recovery after having tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this month.
Zaakirah Watson, 26, from Manenberg, tested positive on June 6, and in less than three weeks had recovered and returned to work this week.
“My symptoms started on June 4 after my lunch hour. All of a sudden I felt really weak and exhausted and I checked my blood pressure, and it was lower than usual because I do suffer from low blood pressure,” said Watson.
She said before testing positive, she took every possible precautionary measure.
“In my line of work I’ve literally seen this virus at its worst. I’ve seen people coming into hospital and leaving this world without seeing their loved ones for as long as they’ve been in hospital.
“To be honest, I was terrified of this virus, not for me but for my loved ones that I live with that I could possibly infect. I live with my mother who does have health issues and a sister that’s seven months’ pregnant. I wasn’t sure if they’d survive it if they ever contracted the virus,” she said.
“I would sit on a plastic bag inside the car to make sure I don’t touch anything. I would even undress in the backyard before entering the house straight into the shower and wash my uniform and even my shoes every day. Even when shopping I made sure to wipe down the groceries before packing it away. I was considered the ‘corona police’ in the family and still I was infected.”
Watson said during her first two weeks of isolation, she had suffered from bad backache, chest discomfort, headaches, body ache, and loss of taste and smell.
Her mother and sister had both tested positive and she said self-isolating as a family was much easier.
@TheCapeArgus
shakirah.thebus@inl.co.za