Quarantine

"You know how people say the COVID test is an unpleasant experience?" asked DW.

"That's what I've heard," was my response.

"Well, they're right."

On Friday, DW went to one of the Ottawa Public Health sites to have a test for COVID-19. Apparently, pink eye can be a sign of coronavirus.

Earlier last week, on the evening of a winter storm, DW asked me to drive to one of our local drug stores to get drops for what she believed to be pink eye. I wasn't happy to venture out on the dark, slippery roads, but one of her eyes was highly irritated, red, and goopy. So I went to the nearest Shoppers Drug Mart and asked the pharmacist for the best non-prescription treatment for this ailment.

In the meantime, DW researched conjunctivitis on the Internet.

"How could I have caught this?" DW asked.

"Um... Finn?" I replied.

Finn, recovering (and being cute).

We were already dealing with a case of it in our home, but not from one of the resident humans. One of our young kittens, Finn, had been receiving eyedrops twice a day since the previous Friday. Luckily, none of the other cats had caught it from him.

In her research, DW learned that with her presumed pink eye, it was recommended that she be tested for coronavirus, as this can be a symptom. An appointment was made, though I was a bit skeptical. While our other cats could easily contract the conjunctivitis from Finn—especially, his sister, Cece—I didn't know if it could be passed onto us. But the fact that DW contracted pink eye so soon after Finn had it, compounded by the fact that he loves to rub his face against ours, makes me think he's the likely source, especially since we have been out of the house so infrequently.

On return from having the test, DW said that OPH had told her to remain in the house until the results were known, somewhere within 24 to 48 hours. This also meant that DD17 and I were also confined to the house.

That was fine with me. I have only left the house a few times in the past couple of weeks, anyway. I was content to remain in place.

The results came back on Saturday morning, and DW doesn't have COVID. But I can't help think that if she had contracted the virus, how that would affect the household. DD17 had only returned to school on Monday: if the virus had been passed onto her, how many of her classmates would have contracted it before DW had had the test?

This is a strong argument to stay home if you can. By the time someone has a test, the virus could have already spread around.

Let's all behave as though we have the virus, and stay home. Stay away from others. Stay safe.