Can you imagine living in near seclusion for three weeks, following all the experts’ guidance to prevent a COVID-19 infection and still ending up testing positive for the virus? This is exactly what happened to Rachel Brummert. Brummert, a resident of Charlotte, NC, remained in her house for nearly an entire month yet still contracted COVID-19. It appeared as though Brummert did everything right yet she still ended up with a nasty cough, headache, fever and breathing issues. Let’s take a closer look at this unique COVID-19 case.
When Following the Rules Does not Pay Off
One would think living in isolation for three weeks would prevent the contraction of COVID-19. However, as evidenced by the case of Rachel Brummert, this highly unique virus is seemingly ubiquitous. Brummert went to the extent of quarantining in a separate part of her home, away from her husband for nearly a full month. She had her groceries delivered. Once the items were dropped off, she sprayed them down with Lysol or another virus-killing solution.
Brummert went to the extent detailed above as she is plagued by an autoimmune disorder. If she were to contract the virus, she knew her chances of fending it off would be considerably less than those of a comparably healthy person. When Brummert tested positive for CoVid-19, she became a national mystery.
Why Brummert Contracted the Virus
Epidemiologists far and wide have closely studied Brummert’s case to determine what might have caused her positive COVID-19 test. It appears as though Brummert’s trip to a local pharmacy an entire month before testing positive might be the cause of her positive test result. She signed her name on the digital screen above the numerical keypad in order to obtain her prescription medication. The assumption is this contact with the keypad/screen is the cause of Brummert’s contraction of the virus.
The little-known truth is COVID-19 is latent in that it can hide out in the body, concealing itself within cells for upwards of two weeks before causing any noticeable symptoms. Aside from interacting with the pharmacist a full month prior to her positive test, Brummert only came into contact with two other people: her husband who lives in a separate room and a woman who dropped off groceries at her front door. Sadly, this altruistic woman also tested positive for COVID-19. Therefore, there is a chance that Brummert might have contracted the virus from her personal grocery shopper in spite of the fact that she sprayed down each of the delivered items with virus-destroying solutions.
However, Brummert insists her contact with the personal grocery shopper was minimal. She claims the two did not have any sort of physical contact yet both ended up testing positive for COVID-19.
What About the Mail?
Plenty of COVID-19 experts have chimed in after reviewing Brummert’s case, questioning whether she touched her daily mail with her bare hands. However, it appears as though mail is not the culprit as Brummert wears gloves when retrieving and opening the mail. Furthermore, she insists she also dons protective gloves when picking up packages from the front porch. Add in the fact that Brummert refuses to eat takeout and the mystery of her positive test becomes that much more intriguing.
A Lesson for All of Us
The moral of this story is you cannot be too careful when venturing out into public, handling groceries, getting the mail and opening packages. Take some time to think about your daily routine and how it creates vulnerabilities to COVID-19. Learn from Brummert’s idiosyncratic case, try to avoid COVID-19 hotspots such as the pharmacy and you just might be one of the lucky ones who test negative today as well as far into the future.
Thankfully, Brummert has not had a fever in several days. It appears as though she is on the road to recovery. However, Brummert insists she will continue to self-isolate as much as possible to avoid a potential reinfection as has occurred in South Korea.
Sources
- https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/charlotte-woman-hasnt-left-her-house-in-three-weeks-but-tested-positive-for-covid-19/275-77707b1d-fd2f-4a36-bf3e-16beca4104c4
- https://www.waaytv.com/content/news/569782262.html
- https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/charlotte-woman-hasnt-left-her-house-in-three-weeks-but-tested-positive-for-covid-19/ar-BB12sjy4