About 10 days ago, I woke up with a headache and a cough.

I was weak and my chest felt tight.

I couldn't quite get a full breath.

I took my temperature and it was 99.5.

Not quite a fever, but higher than normal.

I wondered, of course, if I had COVID-19.

For a little background here, I'm 6 months pregnant.

And I also have an autoimmune disease.

So while I'm not as high-risk as some people, seniors, people with more serious pre-existing

conditions, I am at a higher risk than most people.

The day before, I'd been at my obstetricians' office.

I didn't feel sick then, but it was worried that maybe I'd exposed her and her staff.

When I talked to her on the phone, she wanted me to get tested.

It was impossible in her hospital system.

So I called my internist.

All of this, I should note, was before New York tightened its guidance to only test hospitalized patients.

So given my risk factors, my internist asked me to come in right away.

When I got there, I was ushered in a side entrance, wearing a mask, and sent straight into

a back room that they were disinfecting every hour.

My doctor wore a mask, gloves, eye protection, and a gown, as he swabbed my nose.

For both flu and COVID-19.

They really stick that swab up there, by the way.

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