‘It was scary’

Nurse shares story of how COVID-19 impacted his life

“Every day I woke up wondering if that was the day I was going to start to feel sick.” David Ward

LOUISBOURG — Licensed practical nurse David Ward was fully vaccinated against COVID-19 on Feb. 16. Then, more than three months later, he was shocked when he heard he tested positive for the disease.

“It was scary,“said Ward, 40, who lives in Louisbourg.

“Every day I woke up wondering if that was the day, I was going to start to feel sick.”

Although he had been caring for a COVID-19 patient at the long-term care home he works at in Sydney, Ward wore the complete outfit of personal protection equipment (PPE).

He said if this happened to him following all these steps, people must realize how easy it would be for them to contract it.

“No one else is out there walking around in a gown, gloves, face mask, face shield and with hand sanitizer,” he said.

Agreeing some people feel invincible after being vaccinated, Ward said vaccines are just part of the whole puzzle.

“Vaccines might be a big part of the puzzle but you still have to wear your mask, still have to social distance, still have to keep your bubble small,” he said.

“If there’s no host for the virus, the virus can’t replicate and carry on. The easiest way to do that is those three steps.”

Andrew Heighton, director of COVID-19 response for Nova Scotia Health eastern zone, said the COVID-19 vaccination is only one line of defence in decreasing the severity or hospitalization for those who contract the virus.

“We are seeing people across the province that are testing positive even after they are partially and full vaccinated,” he said.

“The vaccine isn’t a mechanism that’s 100 per cent going to prevent you from getting COVID-19 but it’s one that gives you a better chance of decreasing the severity if you do get COVID. A full vaccination in conjunction with our masking policy and our social distancing and gathering limits is a combination of things that help prevent the spread and contraction of COVID-19.”

In Nova Scotia between March 15 and Oct. 21, of the 324 fully vaccinated people who tested positive for COVID-19, 11 were hospitalized and three died.

TESTING POSITIVE

Ward has worked at the same long-term care facility for 17 years and was being tested weekly at work.

The facility has a designated COVID-19 unit. In May, the unit was reactivated for the second time since the beginning of the pandemic after a resident tested positive.

The facility looked for volunteers to staff it and after his supervisor talked to Ward, he agreed to do it.

He said there were two nurses caring for the COVID19 infected patient, one for day shift and Ward working the night shift. There was a continuing care assistant working each shift as well.

For 12 days straight, the care team would work their shift and return home with no stops in-between.

“I talked to my kid from the doorway,” Ward said. “I didn’t even go and get my own gas in my car.”

At the end of the 12 days, Ward swabbed the staff who had worked in the unit, as well as himself, ensuring negative tests before returning to their regular shifts.

The following day, on May 30, Ward was informed he had tested positive for coronavirus.

Although Ward said he was in an environment where there was COVID-19, he was only in the resident’s room a couple of times a shift to check vital signs and to provide medication.

“I was probably only in the room about 20 minutes total for an entire shift,” he said,

adding the patient was also asymptomatic.

THE IMPACT

As a result of the positive test, Ward then had to “put the run” on his husband and his 14-year-old son. Both had to get rapid tests and quarantine for 12 days.

“My son missed two weeks of school and my husband couldn’t go to work,” he said.

Ward stayed asymptomatic but said it was a tense time.

“Every day I’d wake up and think, ‘Okay it’s a good day, I’m not feeling sick.’”

On the 13th day of isolation, he was cleared by public health.

Ward agreed to speak on his experience of contracting COVID-19 and the impact on himself, his work and his family to reiterate the importance of getting vaccinated and following public health protocols.

“All it takes is one virus to make you sick,” he said. “If it makes it to your bloodstream and you’re not vaccinated, you don’t have the antibodies to protect yourself.”

NOVA SCOTIA HEALTH

Heighton said there is no such thing as 100 per cent protection against this virus.

“It has holes in it like Swiss cheese, but as you put the layers on it the holes get smaller with other mechanisms,” he said.

When it comes to nonessential travel, he said people need to think about checking the COVID-19 status of the locale and the restrictions in place. He said to ensure that you are fully vaccinated and get tested before and after your travel.

“When going to other countries it’s always good to look at the public health advisory before you go there."

Meanwhile, Heighton said vaccination rates in the province’s eastern zone remains

one of the highest in the province.

“We are approaching 80 per cent of our total population being vaccinated in eastern zone,” Heighton said.

“We continue to see it grow week over week which is promising and exciting.”

Those still lacking the most vaccination coverage continues to be the 20 to 30-year age group.

Heighton said it is important for those not vaccinated yet and are considering their options to speak to their health-care provider, their physician, a pharmacist, or even people in the vaccine clinics.