Beech Tree News Network

Here’s what happened.  Two weeks before we were to leave on vacation, I started sneezing then my sinuses started draining, and I developed a cough.  Garey’s mom, Aggie, was staying with us at the time.  She will soon be 94 years old, so I decided to get tested for Covid, because I didn’t want to pass it on to her.

I called my doctor, drove to his office, then waited in my car for someone to administer the test.  I tested positive for Covid.  I told them about my mother-in-law and my fear for her, so they prescribed an antiviral for me.  I took the meds, and on day two, my symptoms started to clear.  I took every last dose of the prescription, because I didn’t want to take any chances.  Fast forward to on the way to our vacation in Florida.  We dropped Aggie off at her house then met up with our daughter, Natalie, and her family just north of Birmingham.  We traveled on to Panama City.  

On our second morning in Florida, Natalie woke with a sore throat.  When we met her for breakfast, she was wearing a mask.  “If this is Covid, I don’t want to give it to anyone else,” she said.  “Could you take me to an urgent care so I can get tested?”

While Garey and Natalie’s husband, Scott, stayed with our granddaughter and her sister, Natalie and I set off for the nearest urgent care.  At the first one, there was a three-hour wait before anyone could see her.  At the second one, there was a sign on the door that stated: WE DON’T DO COVID TESTS.  The third one did not take Natalie’s insurance (Aetna, one of the largest health insurers in the country).  Finally, at the fourth one, they said they administered Covid tests, and they took Aetna insurance.  Natalie filled out the information form, they made copies of her insurance cards, and we waited for someone to see her.

When it was her turn, she was called back to a room, where a nurse practitioner would administer the test.  Natalie put her mask back on after he had swabbed her nose.  The nurse practitioner, who was not wearing a mask, said, “You don’t have to wear that mask here.”  Natalie didn’t say anything, but she kept the mask on.  

“Have you had any of those good Covid vaccine shots?” he asked.

“I’ve had the first two and one booster,” Natalie said.

“Well, don’t get anymore,” he said.  “There’s a new study showing the only people who are getting Covid are the people who got the shot.”

Again, Natalie didn’t respond, but when the test showed she was positive for Covid, she did ask for the antiviral.  She had decided to continue wearing a mask while in public, because she didn’t want to pass the virus on to the countless people she would come in contact with while on vacation, but she also thought the antiviral could lessen her symptoms, like the meds had done for me.

“We don’t prescribe those antivirals here,” he said.

Natalie paid her co-pay, then met me in lobby.  On the way back to our motel, she told me what the nurse practitioner had said.  Two questions entered my mind.  One, If the nurse practitioner has to have surgery, will he tell his surgeon and those assisting him that they don’t have to wear masks?  Two, who conducted the study that showed only people who were vaccinated against Covid got the Covid virus?

I didn’t know the answer to the first question.  I researched the second question.  I could find only one reference to it on the site gatewaypundit.com, but it was just a reference.  There was no source material listed.  I know that doesn’t mean it’s not out there, but I couldn’t find it.

That night, in my motel room, I thought about what the nurse practitioner had said.  Natalie and I were both vaccinated and boosted, and we had come down with Covid.  Two of my close friends and my brother were not vaccinated, and they all three got Covid.  Two ended up in the hospital, one missed a week and a half of work.   I reached two conclusions.  One, I am very grateful for our local health care professionals.  Two, I am very grateful for our state governor.

This is America.  You have a right to draw your own conclusions.