Dallas Woman Tests Positive for Coronavirus Again After 4 Months: 'I Was Floored'

[orleans]

"A woman in Dallas is fighting her second battle against the coronavirus.

Meredith McKee first tested positive for the potentially deadly virus in February, diagnosed after feeling "clear and obvious" symptoms, she told NBC 5.

"I had a dry cough like you would not believe. It would not stop,” McKee recalled, explaining that she managed to fight off the first bout of the virus from home.

She even donated some of her plasma after testing positive for antibodies.

"I felt great finally [doing] something good coming out of the hell that I’ve been through because I'm going to help up to eight people with this plasma,” she said.

However, last week, McKee shared a tearful photo of herself from a hospital bed at Texas Health Presbyterian in Dallas. After admitting herself with high blood pressure and a headache on Friday, she found out she was one again positive for COVID-19 four months after her initial diagnosis.

(more at link)
https://people.com/health/dallas-woman-tests-positive-for-coronavirus-again/

[BigmanPigman]

1. I wonder if a person can get some of their own plasma stored

in a blood bank in case they need it again. This question has not come up that I know of.

[Skittles]

2. how was she able to get tested in February

?

[Igel]

4. It wasn't common but there were tests from about the 2nd week. n/t

[Skittles]

9. in Texas?

[mwooldri]

3. My speculation: (at least) two strains of Covid-19.

There's the Chinese outbreak that originated in Wuhan. Then there's the Italian outbreak. We know the Wuhan originated virus was confirmed in late December. Recent tests of wastewater have shown that the virus was in Italy in December as well ( https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53106444 ). Chances are that there are different strains out there seem plausible to me. Therefore it is possible to fall ill to one strain, and recover, and then fall ill to another. Happens with the common cold, occasionally with the flu. Again this is pure speculation on my part; I'm no scientist.

However if this is the case I suspect that any vaccine for Covid-19 will become like the flu vaccine - something that has to be administered yearly and that the formula will have to change based on which strain is circulating at the time in a given area. Also a vaccine might not prevent one from getting sick but will greatly allow one to live and fight the virus.

All speculation on my part, but it's how I see it right now. So of course mask wearing, distancing and good hygiene is the regime of the day until that vaccine or effective treatment is established.

[Tink41]

6. Reported 2 days ago.

Chicago seems to have it's own strain. They've found 3 in that area

[uponit7771]

7. damn

[orleans]

8. do you have a link for that? (regarding chicago & three in that area) n/t

[Tink41]

11. No Idea

How to link anything. It's easily found NBC Chicago. I just googled Chicago COVID strain.

[Baclava]

5. Virus "went dormant"??? THAT'S not good

[ProfessorGAC]

10. Did They Confirm It's Not False Positive?

Clearly she got really sick again, but this could be a non story if the test was wrong.
I hope she gets well soon, and they might want to check for immunodeficiency.
If it was common for reinfection, in 4 months, seems like we'd be hearing a lot more of these stories.