Run Away from the Virus for A While. Maybe Longer.

The three true stories I share give more reasons to run away from Corona virus no matter who you are. Running away is what I do when I run in this pandemic, as I stay conscious of the impact of my deep inhales and exhales.

The diverse stories — about a death, a hospitalization, and a mild case — add to the many already documented. They are about an older Black man from the South, a middle-aged White woman from the West, and a student from the Northeast. The stories help make three points.

Point one. For older people, the virus can be deadly. A teacher from the South I met at an online workshop in June told me that her dad, a senior citizen, had contracted the virus. He was dying of the virus. There was not much hope.

Point two. Healthy middle-aged people who contract the virus may not die, but will still suffer. A lot. A close relative’s friend who I have met became one of the first in a state in the West to catch the virus at a party in February. She had no risk factors. She did not have symptoms for multiple days, so she ended up going to a concert and on a plane trip. When she got flu-like symptoms at her destination, she was still not tested for Corona virus because there were few known cases at the time. She was allowed on her return flight. Only when she got terribly sick with her oxygen level dropping to 80, apparently two weeks after first catching the virus, she was tested and found to be positive and was hospitalized. She spent a week in the hospital and then recovered at home where she got round the clock breathing help. She has been told that she might have suffered long-term damage to her lungs.

Point three. Young people who get a mild case of the virus may not have it easy. A research lab member of a close relative studying at a New England institution contracted the virus in March. Though fit and in his twenties, it would take him an hour’s effort just to get from the bed to the bathroom because he was so weak and out of breath. His joint pain was so bad, he resorted to taking opioids. It took him two months to recover fully. This case would be classified as a mild case because no hospitalization was involved!

Even if you are resigned to contracting the virus anyway, keeping it away as long as possible has its benefits. Maybe the virus will disappear in your area. Maybe there will be a better treatment in a few months. Maybe there will be a hospital bed when one is needed. Or maybe there will be a vaccine!

As Corona virus cases soar, avoiding the virus now matters!

A bit more about me.

I have been a regular runner most of my adult life. Running during the pandemic is like playing a real life video game!