Across the world, people are in a panic to escape this pandemic by mulitple safety measures and social distancing rules. However, what happens when you actually contract the virus?

Firstly, the test consists of a long cotton swab being inserted into your nose and then sent to a lab for results which take several hours. If results come back positive, doctors will treat you based on how severe your case is.

For those with a mild case, they ask for you to stay home and treat it like a normal flu such as eating healthy and drinking plenty of fluids. The recovery time for these cases are about two weeks and doctors recommend you social distance others until all symptoms have gone down significantly.

For those with severe cases, hospital treatment is needed and recovery can take about 6 weeks. Problems with breathing are treated with a respirator, medication is given for fevers, and fluids are given to prevent dehydration.

Being at home and quarantined is at times boring and monotonous, but be reminded that you are safe at home, not stuck at home!

Sam Baghal, a junior at Hills, sympathizes with those recovering and thinks, “[T]he extensive period of recovery for COVID-19 must be a really scary experience since the symptoms can last for such a long time. This is why it’s so imperative that we develop a vaccine fast in an attempt to provide early treatment for patients, helping to make recovery period more timely and tolerable.”

If you would like to read more, click the links below: 

https://www.healthline.com/health/coronavirus-treatment#if-you-have-symptoms

https://www.wmur.com/article/most-people-recover-from-the-coronavirus-heres-why-its-hard-to-pinpoint-exactly-how-many/32040963#