STATESBORO— In a Google Form, The George-Anne asked you to share your experience about COVID-19 with us. Here is what you had to say:

“I’ve lost over 10 people in my life.” A student.

“It’s terrifying how many of my peers are willing to put their fellow classmates at risk for a night out drinking. I told my professors I would be attending their classes online for the semester. It’s disheartening that the school values money over student lives but I can’t say I’m surprised.” A student.

“I teach over 100 students. This week nearly 40% were out with either positive COVID tests or in quarantine because a roommate tested positive. How is the University reporting so low when I’m seeing such high numbers in my classes?” A faculty member.

“I’ve definitely been sicker, but it wasn’t fun at all. It started as what I thought were just allergies but ended up getting worse fast. I had a migraine that felt like a tight band was around my forehead at all times for 3-4 days straight. I knew for sure it was corona when I couldn’t taste or smell anything. I tasted about 3 days later but it’s been over a week and I still don’t have my smell back.” A student

“The first day of classes (Aug 17th) my roommate tested positive fore Covid and I had to quarantine for 10 days. The first week I was asymptotic and was just going through the motions of syllabus weeks. On August 24th I started getting a really bad headache that turned into a migraine. The next day I woke up my body felt like it was hit by a train. Everything hurt. My head was throbbing, the joints in pain and when I tried to get up I felt like I was going to hurl. I scheduled an appointment at the GSU health center, got tested and the test turned positive. I was given information about what I should do if I have Covid-19; I had people calling me about my situation as well. My quarantine of 10 days restarted. The first 7 of those days I was bed ridden. I had a steady fever of 102.4°, joint pain, nausea and migraines. Thankfully I didn’t lose my sense of taste. On the 4th day I reached a fever of 105° but refused to get hospitalized and was luckily able to bring it down to a cool 102°. August 31st my fever finally started staying at a low 99° but this is when I started getting breathing problems. This lasted until September 4th. Between those dates, every time I would breathe a normal breath I would start coughing and my lungs and chest would hurt. I could only take in shallow breathes so the whole time it felt like my body was running on minimal oxygen. August 31st-September 2nd I could barely hold my breath for more than 20 seconds. But I started getting significantly better on September 3rd and but the 4th my fever was finally gone (98.4) and I could take a deep breath without coughing my lungs up. But I’m still in college and I just missed 3 weeks of classes. I am on THE struggle busses of struggle busses. I’m a mechanical engineering major between my sophomore and junior year. I have four classes and I have two tests next week and honestly….I have never felt so overwhelmed.” A student.

“I believe that I have avoided it, though my family fought off several infections in February and March after returning from an international tourist destination. As the director of the Psychology Clinic, I am committed to helping others thrive in the face of adversity. My students and I continue to work alongside clients who have been exposed to COVID-19, diagnosed with COVID-19 or have loved ones who have battled it. We continue to take precautions against COVID-19 to ensure we are available to provide low-cost mental health care to our community.” A faculty member.

“My family contracted covid-19 in March, during spring break. At the time there were no confirmed cases in Bulloch County. My parents (in their mid 60s) visited from Nashville, TN to celebrate tenure and promotion. Two days after they left, we all started experiencing symptoms. Our best guess it that they brought it from out of town.”

“Tests were still scarce at the time, and Governor Kemp had asked for tests to be reserved for health care workers, first responders, etc. My wife, 8-year old daughter, and I never became seriously ill, so we stayed quarantined in our home for several weeks. After recovering I took an antibody test, which returned positive, confirming it was indeed covid.”

“Our respiratory symptoms were mild, but did experience fever, chills, and muscle aches. The worst symptom for me was headaches. There were the most intense I’ve ever experienced, and lasted weeks after the other symptoms. We never experienced loss of taste or smell like some do.”

“Symptoms were worse for my parents. My mother recovered after a couple of weeks, but my father became extremely ill. This was unexpected, because he was a healthy, slim man with no pre-existing conditions. After a week at home, he became unresponsive and was taken to the hospital. He would not return for 105 days. He was fully sedated for 54 days, on a ventilator for 68 days and in ICU for 75 days. During this time he suffered blood clots and required amputations of half of one foot and below the knee on the other foot.”

“To anyone reading, please remember that this is an unpredictable disease, and can have sever effects on the ordinarily healthy. Also realize that even if your own risk tolerance is high, you cannot alter your risk level without also raising the risk level of those around you.” A faculty member.