As of Sunday, November 22, I became one of the 14 Streetsboro students who tested positive for COVID-19.

I got tested Saturday, November 21, because I left school Thursday, November 19th.

I am a Varsity captain on the girls basketball team. My positive COVID test sent an automatic 20 girls into quarantine because of the fact that I am around them in a contact sport.  Not only did the girls who play basketball get quarantined, but the students who sat around me in my classes got quarantined, too.

Along with the people I quarantined, and a couple of other positive cases, there were altogether over 200 people quarantined.

Personally, I am a strict mask wearer. I know that masks don’t only protect me, but also the people around me.  That being said, I only really went to school and basketball, meaning I had to get it from being in the building.

As for my family, my mom, sister and I tested positive.  Even though there shouldn’t be guilt with getting COVID, there is always a guilty feeling that I am the one that ended up giving it to them.  Luckily I was surrounded by many positive people that reassured me that it wasn’t my fault and I had to have gotten it from somebody in the first place.

I used to think that the decision to play a sport leaves it up to the individuals, if they want to put themselves at risk of getting COVID. Yet after getting it once, I am scared to get it again.

As of December 4, Portage County — along with Lake, Lorain, Medina, Montgomery, Richland, Stark and Summit — are now in the purple zone (Level 4). 

According to a report from Record Courier sports writer Jonah Rosenblum, Garfield and Waterloo are suspending their seasons until the end of 2020.  Crestwood and Windham are having a short suspension until the Level 4’s in Ohio have decreased.  

Streetsboro has now said the basketball season will be postponed until December 18.  With the postponement, we are still allowed to practice but not have games.

But the middle school is postponed till January 4 with no games and no practice.

OHSAA has changed its requirements for players returning after positive COVID tests a player must get tested and cleared before he/she can play again.  This involves getting an electrocardiogram (or EKG), which records the electrical signal from your heart to check for different heart conditions, according mayoclinic.org.  

When I went for clearance December 4, my results did not come back perfect.  I have never gotten an EKG done before so they have nothing to compare my results to but  I don’t remember the medical term that was used, but now I have to be cleared by a cardiologist.

The reason for OHSAA wanting to be certain my heart is healthy enough for physical activity is because of the chance that COVID can cause fluid to build up and damage that organ. 

My EKG did not come back with an unusual result, but because of everything going on with COVID, my family and my doctor believed it would be best to take complete precautions.  

My doctor said, “I would rather make sure you are completely ready to come back rather than go too early and something happen.”

With the precautions I’ve already taken, I have learned a lot of new things about COVID.  It has been said that COVID can lead to blood clots, and so it is advised to frequently move around even if you are positive.  I have also learned that there are multiple symptoms that can stay long term such as fatigue, muscle pain, headache, confusion, rash, hair loss etc.  Luckily I have not had any major symptoms but I have had fatigue, headaches and muscle pain.  

According to mayoclinic.com COVID can damage organs other than the heart as well.  COVID can damage the lungs because of something called “COVID pneumonia” which leaves scar tissue in the lungs and to long term breathing problems.  COVID can also damage the brain, even with younger people.   COVID can cause strokes, seizures and Guillain-Barre syndrome — a condition that causes temporary paralysis. 

As someone who has gotten COVID I highly recommend reading more into COVID because even if you think you are doing all the precaution steps right, you are still compatible with getting it, especially with the cases rising as much as they are.

I am very grateful for not getting COVID as bad as other people but I am ready for this all to be over.