Multimedia journalist, Israel Laryea, has shared his experience after contracting COVID-19.
According to the veteran broadcaster, “this was after a colleague named me as a contact and I immediately had to get my sample taken and tested on Wednesday, January 27, 2021.”
He quarantined in the outhouse at home and only accessed the main building when it was necessary.
“When I did, I made sure I sanitised anything I touched, especially the door handles. Being in the outhouse was kind of lonely – even though comfortable and had everything I needed,” he narrated.
He bemoaned how he missed his wife Louisa and spent the nights chatting away on the phone as if they were just starting to date.
He explained he had no symptoms except for an initial mild headache, fever and fortunately, he did not lose “my sense of taste nor smell.”
Mr Laryea noted he always kept “my mask on in public, especially in the office and have continued to do so.”
As surprised as he was on how he might have been infected, he noted he had a few suspicions.
“When I had to resume work physically to the office after working from home for a few months at the height of the pandemic, I didn’t take chances at all.
“I packed my meals and drink to the office from home and had my lunch in my car. No canteens, no restaurants and no eating together with colleagues,” he recounted.
He added: “I wouldn’t let a ‘stranger’ drive my car to even re-park it, because I was scared of possible contamination. I stopped going to the make-up room. I made-up myself before going on air. I sanitised my hands and space before I took off my mask in the studio.”
He noted that he also stopped going to the barber – the barber rather came home – and he ensured he washed his hands, disinfected and had his mask on.
Admittedly, after a significant decline in the number of cases though, he eased his strict preventive protocols somewhat and visited the office canteen.
He ate in restaurants though he tried to keep a good distance away from people, allowed others to re-park his car in the office and took off his mask to have a drink or a snack at his desk when alone.
“So yeah, I dropped my guard in quite a few instances, making it difficult to determine at which point I got infected.
“Fortunately, the rest of my household tested negative – that’s Louisa my wife and Mitch my middle son, who is the only child currently at home, schooling online, as the other two are in boarding,” he added.
