Fact-Checked Source: Vox.com, "Friends and family leave everything I need on my doorstep."

Looking Deeper: Five Facts Checked

“As a healthcare provider, I felt this weird moral failure of how did this happen to me? and what did I do wrong to get infected?’’

Laura essentially felt as if her COVID-19 diagnosis was caused by her inadequate measures to protect herself. Being a health care worker added unnecessary pressure. The CDC states that health care professionals should check their fever twice a day and remain alert for any signs of COVID-19.
 

“You feel like your lungs are going to explode.”

Mike, a 57-year-old IT worker based in NewYork was severely affected by the virus  He recounts that symptoms of COVID-19 were unlike anything he had previously felt and that he felt immense pain. The CDC lists persistent chest pain as one of the many symptoms of COVID-19.
 

 “ I was sleeping 10,11 hours a night, no problem.”

Chuck Armstrong a 38 a year tech worker and theater producer from NewYork recounts that he felt physically exhausted after being diagnosed with the virus. The CDC states that its important to stay hydrated and to rest during recovery. 
 

“ There’s no one to ask questions to because nobody knows any answers. Just hoping tomorrow will be better.”  

There is no cure for COVID-19  only treatments, and that can be a  terrifying situation to be in if you have underlying medical issues. Tina, a 52-year old mom, discusses this in her account. The information for symptoms and as well as preventive measures are constantly changing on the CDC website, and there is no vaccine or cure for the virus 

“My doctor said that there was not much I could do and that I just needed to stay home because testing was very limited and a positive test wouldn’t make a difference anyway.”

Luis Mancheno, 33, an immigration attorney in Brooklyn was told that staying home was the best course of action. The CDC recommends contacting a health care provider and staying at home if you exhibit mild signs of the virus. 
 

Analytic Essay

What If Feels Like to Be Diagnosed With COVID-19 

Millions of people around the world have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and that number will likely continue to rise. Due to a large number of cases of COVID-19 and the possibility of it being a fatal disease to some people, it's not surprising that people are currently paranoid of getting or passing on the disease.  I want to explore my essay from the view of someone that has been diagnosed with COVID-19 and explore how the virus and quarantine restrictions affect both their physical and mental health.  
 

It can be difficult when everyone in the household is affected by COVID-19.  In the article titled, My whole family has COVID-19,  Deborah Copaken recounts her diagnoses with COVID-19 as well as the quarantine restrictions that have affected herself and her household. Copaken states that she started feeling unwell during a bike ride through NewYork city, she and her partner rushed back to her apartment. There she discovered that she had a 99-degree fever. She recounts the physical discomfort she felt during the time that she was infected. She describes having a high fever, losing her sense of smell and taste, and constantly coughing. She also describes how she and her partner have isolated themselves in different rooms to prevent contracting each other’s germs.  She also describes how the quarantine restriction has affected her children. Her youngest son is unable to go to school and her oldest daughter who was volunteering at Cameroon had to leave early because of quarantine restrictions. She misses her children and also wants to reunite with them, but is scared that she might pass the virus to them as well. “The thought of simply breathing in and out without coughing and reuniting with my children ... is goal enough. To—literally—live and let live will be enough.” In Copaken's account,  it is apparent that COVID-19, as well as restrictions from the quarantine, affects more than a person’s physical health. It can cause strain on someone’s financial as well as mental problems. 
 

The journal article published by Lancelet, titled Patients with mental health disorders in the COVID-19 epidemic, explores how people with mental health disorders are more likely to be affected by the pandemic. The pandemic has disrupted the mental health of many individuals, because of quarantine restrictions, individuals are more likely to suffer from feelings of loneliness and depression. These feelings can be apparent in people who are self-isolating because of a COVID-19 diagnosis  The article stresses that people with mental health conditions are more likely to get the virus than those who don’t have pre-existing health conditions.  “People with mental disorders can be exposed to more barriers in accessing timely health services, because of discrimination associated with mental ill-health in health-care settings.” There’s often a stigma placed on mental health patients and the quarantine can further create a barrier and affect the accessibility fo those trying to seek support for their mental and physical health. If someone with a  serious pre-existing mental health condition claim that they have COVID-19,  they might not be taken as seriously as someone who doesn't suffer from pre-existing mental health conditions. This can worsen both their physical health if they don’t take measures to treat the symptoms of the disease, and this can also lead to the further spread of the disease. 
 

Something that came up in all five accounts of my prospective source and as well as  Deborah Copaken’s account was the feeling of uncertainty. COVID-19 virus is a new virus so there isn’t a substantial amount of research done on it. The symptoms, as well as the time that it takes to recover from the virus, can be susceptible to change as more and more people get diagnosed. Lacking information can cause people to worry and feel uncertain. The virus can also lead to feelings of depression and loneliness as we are unable to connect with other people during this time   Another thing that was common in these accounts was the hospital’s reluctance to test or admit patients unless it was absolutely necessary, due to a large number of outbreaks and the limited amount of supplies. 
 

References