Peyton Chesser was not taking risks when the coronavirus pandemic blocked the country in March. The 23-year-old Houston woman stayed home, even granting grocery pickups to her roommate.
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After the Texas home stay order ended on April 30 and some businesses were opened, he ventured cautiously. Although early data showed that Covid-19 was more dangerous for older people, Chesser was careful, she told CNN’s Erica Hill on Wednesday.
“I did not go to restaurants with many people. I did not go to places with many people in general (or) in social settings,” he recalled.
She resumed trips to the supermarket and even returned to a gym. And just then, to her frustration, she came down with Covid-19. She’s not sure where she picked it up.
“That was one of the first things I said, ‘How could I have done this?'” Chesser said. “I was so eager to get it since it all started in March and February.”
“So when I actually picked it up and couldn’t identify it, I finally had to let it go, because the fact that I had it or not did not change,” he said.
Coronavirus has been spreading to younger populations across the US and is emerging particularly among youth in the south and west, health officials said.
The risk of serious complications and death increases with age, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, although there is no clear age limit for higher or lower risk.
And CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield specifically selected the younger generations on Tuesday, asking them to take serious precautions, because even if they are less likely to die from Covid-19, they can play a role in the transmission. of the illness. to others.
He especially asked them to wear masks, which according to health officials can help prevent infected people, even those who do not know they are infected, from spreading the virus.
“Specifically, I am targeting the youngest members of our society, millennials and Generation Z’s. I ask those who are listening to spread the word,” Redfield said Tuesday during a hearing in the United States Senate.
Chesser was very ill for eight days, he told CNN.
“At first, I had really horrible skin sensitivity, headache, cough, sore throat,” he said. “And just around day 4 … that’s when I lost my sense of smell and taste.”
He said he hardly ever had a fever – the highest temperature he knew was 99.6 or 99.7 degrees Fahrenheit.
Chesser believes that Texas businesses reopened too soon, he said. In response to rising case numbers, the state closed the bars last month for the second time, and says it believes this is making people “realize how serious it is.”
Chesser also expects more people to take precautions, such as wearing masks, he said.
“Just do your part and take care of everyone in the community, because we owe that to each other, just do the little things that could have a big impact,” he said.
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