Cleared by doctors, but not by the public: After COVID-19, survivors face stigma. “I feel like I have a scarlet letter on my chest.'
For some, the stigma feels not only personal, but also illogical.
Similar scenarios are playing out outside of health care settings, too. Sadie Nagamootoo, 44, of Valley Stream, New York, was diagnosed with the coronavirus in April, and still struggles with symptoms, including shortness of breath and a sore throat, nearly 140 days later. She feels her status as a so-calledhas made her friends even more inclined to avoid her, even though she has tested negative multiple times since May 7.
“People will say things like, ‘You never know, you may still have it in you,’” she said. “It messes with you psychologically because you begin to think and wonder if you really can magically transmit some impossible thing to somebody, even though there is no active virus inside of you.” And there is emerging evidence that those who have recently recovered from the coronavirus may be among the most immune: On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicated thatfor at least three months, suggesting they do not need to quarantine if they are exposed to someone with a confirmed case within that time frame, as long as they do not develop symptoms.
That type of support was a lifesaver for Scott Emmons, 58, of Suffield, Connecticut. When he, his wife and their son all got the coronavirus in March, his friends offered overwhelming support online. Some even dropped off weeks’ worth of food on the family’s doorstep.
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