‘I miss human contact a lot,’ Regina man in isolation says
REGINA The first thing Mayson Sonntag wants to do once free of quarantine is to hug his family and his dog.
“I miss human contact a lot,” the 19-year-old Regina man says.
Sonntag was tested for COVID -19 on March 18 when he developed symptoms following a trip to New York. He thought he had a cold when he woke up with a scratchy throat, an exhausted feeling and a headache. His ears ached, too, but he put it down to the airplane landing when he returned to Regina on March 15.
“Then over the next couple of days, it started to get a little worse,” he says. “I’ve got asthma, and I started to feel some tightness in my chest again, which I hadn’t felt in years. That was not a good sign.”
Unlike many people tested for COVID-19, Sonntag, who also has a history of respiratory infections, didn’t develop a fever. But the various other symptoms led him to get tested. He subsequently received a call he that confirmed he had the disease. “I was definitely nervous because I didn’t know how it would affect me,” he says. “And so that was a little nerve-racking, especially when I was first told that I did, in fact, have it.”
Sonntag had been paying attention to the situation unfolding around the world. While in New York, he thought he’d taken precautions, washing his hands frequently and being careful about what he touched.
He said he believes a lack of social distancing was to blame. He thinks he picked it up at a concert, as friends he went with also have since been diagnosed.
Sonntag ’s biggest concern wasn’t for himself, but his family. Sonntag lives with his sister and mother and worried about the possibility his mother especially might develop symptoms.
Even before the diagnosis, Sonntag had followed what has since become a requirement, self-isolating upon his return. Once diagnosed, quarantined in the basement while his family remained upstairs, he doubled down on cleaning.
“It seems to be working,” he says. “Even though we’re in a small house together, neither of them have shown any symptoms at all.”
Sonntag says he’s been fortunate with his own symptoms. When the illness was at its worst for him, he coughed through the night, felt really stuffed up, had a headache and experienced a lot of tightness in his chest.
“When I first got sick, I noticed that feeling that I used to have when I was younger and I would ... do too much cardio except that I hadn’t done anything. I’d just been in bed asleep,” he says.
Sonntag says his asthma meant he treated the illness very seriously, ensuring he got plenty of rest and fluids and following quarantine rules carefully.
Now, almost two weeks after he started showing symptoms, he says he’s doing a lot better.
“I was worried this might stick around for a while, but I’m feeling almost back to normal,” he says, adding he’s back to taking online classes with his school.
His quarantine period ends Tuesday, but he plans on maintaining a healthy level of caution. Sonntag intends to remain at home and continue staying in touch with friends through social media, although he’s looking forward to spending a little time outdoors.