COVID-19 Patient Documents His Symptoms

Carlos Novelo

Six persons in the health system are confirmed as positive cases.  Pharmacist Carlos Novelo, who also lives on San Pedro, has tested positive for COVID-19, and like teacher Vanessa Gladden, he has taken to social media to notify family, friends and the public of his coronavirus status.  Novelo is also using this platform to raise awareness of the disease. He hopes that “everyone takes it seriously and do all in their power to protect themselves, loved ones and even the rest of our population.” On Sunday and then again today, Novelo shared videos in which he is visibly short of breath, gasping for air.  He also has a dry cough, which comes and goes, but he is managing without hospitalization with the use of prescribed medication.

Carlos Novelo, COVID-19 Patient

“I want people to see it is not easy when you need to be grasping for a breath. It is not easy when you can’t breathe well; we take it for granted every day, but it is what it is and it is one of the symptoms that we face. I don’t have it to an extent that I need hospitalization so I am very grateful for that.  Day two – not a good day. Just take care ah unu self; take it serious, take this thing serious. I know some people thing because unu young and strong, cause I get cursed out to tell people fu use face masks. I get cursed out at work, I get cursed out by patients weh tell me we noh need fi do this or because dehn hear yo noh have to di wear mask and thing. I get cursed out cause I tell them wear mask when unu come dah mi work place. Use unu mask, take care ah unu self, take unu vitamins. If you noh care about yourself, think about yo family, think about yo neighbour, think about anybody weh unu encounter. Listen to Doctor Manza cause he know weh he di talk about. Just take care ah unu self people; please? Just take care ah unu self. Yo understand me. Take care ah unu self, just take care ah unu self.”