By Cyndi Ingle
Do you think of Covid-19 as a “boomer remover” and only as an issue for the elderly and people with already poor health? If you are a Millennial do you think that you won’t get the virus…or if you do, you will be able to shake it off easily with minimal long term health effects?
Recently I chatted with Bridget O’Brien, a 28 year old university hockey coach and nanny from Newton, Massachusetts who caught Covid-19 in late November 2020 during a night out with friends. Unfortunately, she passed the virus along to her 60 year old diabetic father, who then passed it along to her 89 year old grandmother.
Who has Covid-19 in Canada?
In Canada many of the people who have contracted the virus are Millennials (people born from 1981–1996, who are presently 25-40 years old.)
According to the Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) Epidemiology update (Feb. 1/21) published on the Government of Canada site, people in the 20-49 age group account for 49.3% of all Canadian Covid-19 cases. People aged 50-80+ make up 34.4% of the cases, and people less than 19 years of age account for 16.2%.
Who dies from Covid-19 in Canada?
Regarding mortality rates older adults have been the hardest hit with 88.8% of the deaths in the 70-80+ age range. Perhaps this is why many younger people aren’t concerned about catching the virus as it doesn’t affect them personally. However, it does hit home when they pass it along to their parents and grandparents. The long term health effects of having the virus are, of course, unknown.
Bridget’s Covid story
Bridget is sharing her story with Monkeybiz.ca to show how Covid-19 can strike people of all ages and why following proper health protocols is vitally important.
While dining out with friends Bridget caught Covid-19, either from one of her friends, or at the bar itself. Since she works at a coach at Suffolk College Bridget was being tested two times a week and is sure when and how she developed the illness.
“I went out to dinner with friends the Sunday prior. One of them tested positive so we all went to get tested and four out of five of us got it. The one who tested negative already had it though.”
Testing issues impact the spread
An issue with testing is aiding the spread of Covid-19 as Bridget’s doctor explained that people who are contagious may not show signs or test positive until day six. Bridget’s father went for testing immediately and tested negative. He thought he was in the clear, but had the virus and didn’t test positive until day six. By that time he had been out in the community spreading the virus. Bridget’s advice: If someone is in contact with a positive person they need to wait to get tested.
How does it feel to have Covid-19?
Bridget and her grandmother…both Covid survivors!
Bridget’s early symptoms included a bad headache, low grade fever, and a scratchy sore throat. As the days went by she had very bad side pain and trouble breathing. “I’m extremely healthy and really was shocked how bad my breathing got when my other friends had 0 symptoms. Because of all the “young people don’t get affected”… the fact it hit me so hard … I was concerned for long term just because of the unknown. I have had the flu and this is like the flu on steroids.”
Covid lasted at least 14 days for Bridget and even when she was testing negative she still felt very weak and even now in early February 2021 gets out of breath at times.
“I just said wow if this is how I feel I can only imagine what happens to old and unhealthy people. I definitely believed it [that Covid-19 exists] but until you experience symptoms like this it really hits home. I still work out and do my regular activities but I definitely do not go as hard or long as I used to.”
Bridget passed Covid-19 along to her dad, who gave it to her grandmother. Her grandmother has been in the hospital for months and luckily has pulled through.
“She is now in rehab and much better but can’t walk. She really fought and it’s a miracle she’s alive. She had no underlining health issues before this. She lived with my dad but after we will most likely put her in a retirement home. She’s a survivor!!”
A message to young people who think that Covid can’t happen to them…
“Until you get it you don’t realize the effects on you and your family. I know young people are just saying have old people stay home, but my grandmother never left her house and still got it. Also I am extremely healthy so young people not struggling with it is a myth. I’m still scared to get it again.”
A message to anti-maskers and people who think that Covid is no worse than getting the flu…
“To anti-maskers I’d say masks work and keeping distance work because how fast it spread between my friends and my dad is insane. I think within a day we all had it. So the spread is serious and faster than I ever imagined, so do what they say!
