Student Who Was Sick for 3 Months Will Likely Never Know if She Had COVID-19

When it comes to the coronavirus we know not everyone can be tested, even if they are infected. So what's the experience like for those who are feeling extremely ill, but have no idea if they are carrying the coronavirus?

Ana Bucardo was enjoying her trip overseas when she started to feel sick. Little did she know her cough at the time would take her down a three month long journey to recovery.

Burcado had just celebrated the New Year in France when she started to feel sick. She thought she had sinusitis, but soon realized her muscle pain and dry cough might be something else.

“This is something bigger,” she thought. “Something is going on.”

When she was in France, there were labor strike that resulted in crowded buses and trains, people standing shoulder to shoulder.

When she boarded the plane to head home, she realized something was off.

“The person next to me was sick and that’s when I said ‘This is weird,’” she said.

Once she arrived back in San Diego, her mom took a look at her and thought the same. From there she went to the hospital but she said they figured it was bronchitis. She didn’t think much of it and went straight back to school at UC Riverside and tried to keep contained, not knowing what she might have.

It wasn’t long after she was starting to feel better when she suddenly got with hit with a new set of symptoms. She went to a clinic and was asked to self quarantine but was not tested for COVID-19.

Burcado said the last few months have been horrendous, but she finally started feeling better last week. Still, though, she has no idea if she had the coronavirus.

Testing is limited to those in risk of developing severe complications, according to county health officials, but the county says COVID-19 testing is being considered right now for people who have a fever and a cough, and are part of the following groups:

• People with lower respiratory illness and no other potential cause, especially if they are hospitalized
• People living in a senior living facility, including nursing facilities or assisted living facilities
• People who are elderly
• People in congregate settings, such as homeless shelters
• Health care workers and other emergency responders