Just Be There Blog

2 weeks paid time off

Wow! Three months gone since my last blog entry.

I have been busy with my job and sleeping. This last week was the first week of a mandatory two week paid vacation. Amazon has free voluntary COVID testing for all 'associates' and I tested positive at the end of December. Everyone here at home (my daughter, son-in-law and three grandsons) have all tested negative and all I got was a runny nose. Because of my work schedule, I have been self-isolating since starting my job, (September 2020) which may account for the rest of the household testing negative for COVID. Or, I may have been one of those false positive statistics. Either way, Amazon policy is 14 days paid while on COVID quarantine. Or in another way to look at it, 2 weeks mandatory paid vacation, erm, medical leave. I am scheduled to return to work next Saturday, January 16th. I still have a runny nose but not as prolific as a week ago. Allergies? Common Cold? COVID? For me at this time, feels more like allergies, no fever, no headaches, no body aches, no problems with shortness of breath, etc., just a runny nose. Something I've had since moving to Spokane Valley, WA. I did have several days of intestinal irregularity the week I tested positive, though. As far as the loss of smell, well I haven't had much sense of smell since having the Bells Palsy in 2017, so that indicator doesn't apply for me.

I'm either one of the very lucky who have light COVID response (asymptomatic) or like I said I might be a false positive statistic. This train of thought doesn't lull me into a false sense of security for COVID immunity, however. If in fact I am asymptomatic, I could catch COVID again and get really sick. If I am a statistic of false positive, I could get COVID for real and get sick and be a danger to the rest of my family. So I will continue to practice my Self Isolation, wear my mask, and social distance as if I am a potential infectious hazard.

Too many have died from this disease to take it lightly, therefore, I won't.