Salinas Mayor Kimbley Craig tests positive
The mayor hopes that acknowledging her status will lift the stigma associated with the virus
SALINAS >> Salinas Mayor Kimbley Craig tested positive for COVID-19 Monday after developing symptoms over the weekend. She is now quarantining at home.
Craig said she showed symptoms Saturday that were a bit unusual including significant lower back and hip pain. She later developed a headache.
“I thought I should get tested to be careful and conscientious,” said Craig. “I had a rapid test Monday morning.”
The rapid COVID test usually measures viral antigens which are substances that tell your body to produce an immune response to an infection. They are not the
same as antibodies which an immune system produces in response to signals from antigens.
After receiving her results, Craig said she had a teleconference with her doctor who instructed her to quarantine, and she is taking a wait-and- see attitude.
By Tuesday morning, she reported that she had lost her sense of taste and that her sense of smell had become very muted. Others in her family have not yet been tested, are not displaying symptoms, but are staying home and quarantining themselves. Her life partner is looking to get tested now.
The mayor said she at first had a knee-jerk reaction to the news, feeling embarrassed about her positive test result and even crying a little.
“I’ve worked from home for months and if I got it, it’s easy to get,” said Craig.
Between working from home and trips to city hall, which is closed, Craig is not sure how she contracted the coronavirus. She said that after getting her results she thought about everything she has been doing such as wearing ma sk s, diligently washing her hands, working from home, cleaning high-touch surfaces, the groceries and her dog’s paws after walks.
“I feel like you can do everything right and still get it,” said Craig.
The mayor acknowledges that the coronavirus is widespread and is easily transmitted.
But now that people know her status, she hopes it helps to lift the stigma so that others in the same situation can do the responsible thing by letting people know if they have come in contact, staying at home, and self- quarantining.