Was It Inevitable?

We spent four weeks in France. We were in airports and train stations; on the Metro, buses, trains, airports, and airplanes! Restaurants and museums! No Covid-19! We get back to Canada and my wife, unknowingly, visits an infected family member! A few days later she has Covid, and two days later I test positive too. Was it inevitable?

It Could Have Been Worse?

We are triple vaccinated and in decent physical condition. So far, so good! Coughs and runny noses but we have no fever or serious respiratory issues. Still, I don’t like feeling sick at all and I could have done without getting ill, even if I think that it is inevitable that everyone will catch “The VID” sooner or later. 

It could be worse. We could have fallen ill in France and failed our re-entry test. I had prepared a “Just-in-Case” list of Airbnbs for that eventuality. However, we made it through the CDG airport testing zoo in about two hours with clear negatives. Interestingly, our departure from Paris was held up as Air Canada fished out the luggage of someone who had tested positive at the last moment.

Diminishing Rigour!

France dropped many of its masking requirements while we were there. While masks are unpleasant, we continued to wear them to move around restaurants, stores, and museums. We always wore our N-95’s in crowded, enclosed areas. These provide good protection even when those around us are nonchalant. 

Back in Canada, we probably let our guard down a bit. Maybe we should be more inquisitive when we visit someone’s home. There are reports of families requiring vaccine passports for family gatherings. I used to think that was a little over the top. But then, my children and grandchildren lined up for the jab(s) as soon as they were available for their respective age group. We had an open and ongoing dialogue about possibly infected contacts. That becomes the expectation!

Lessons Learnt

So learn from our experience! If you don’t want a miserable bout of the VID: 

• Take nothing for granted
• Be inquisitive. Ask if the people you are seeing have been in close contact with someone who is not vaccinated. These individuals are more likely to be infected and will then carry a higher viral load. 
• Use a mask, preferably an N-95. N-95 provides good protection for the wearer even when others are unmasked. 
• Get all your jabs

So In the Meantime

We are stuck at home. We cough and have stuffy, runny noses. Throats are raw from coughing! Sleep is difficult! But neither of us has had fever or lost appetite. 

We treat the symptoms. Tylenol and Advil! Lots of throat lozenges! Orange juice and hot water! Also, I might have to write some TV reviews! 

Was it inevitable? Most experts think so. But I could have done without!