Thread by @neurooruen

My pregnant physician wife and I are currently COVID positive. We are currently quarantining with our 2 yo daughter who is likely also positive based on symptoms. We have both been working in hospitals taking every precaution humanly possible, especially because of the pregnancy.

Nonetheless, we are positive. We have been masking non-stop in our hospitals and have been protected despite seeing many COVID + patients along the way. We visited family this weekend and 8 of the 11 people we saw (not all at the same time) are now lab confirmed COVID positive.

We did not mask while visiting with family because we let our guard down and thought we were safe. Every one of those positive have symptoms from congestion, headache, fever, malaise, myalgias, and anosmia. 2 of the positives are toddlers. One has been febrile for 48 hrs.

The other toddler just started showing symptoms today. We were together with these people, largely outdoors, for 24 hours this weekend and 8 out 11 are positive. Please be careful out there everyone. #COVID19 is just so contagious.

@DrEricDing @Craig_A_Spencer @EricTopol

@ronan_glynn @darakass @abc3340 @WarOnDumb @Fox6Steve @RamseyArchibald @EM_RESUS @dremilyportermd @IanSams

I initially posted this to my, at the time, 130 Twitter followers mostly consisting of friends and coworkers to tell them that my wife and I were positive. I also wanted it to serve as a cautionary warning that even small gatherings can be risky without masks.

To provide some more details, my wife had symptoms about 2 days before anyone and was the first lab confirmed positive. Her exposure was through full PPE and she had not directly seen a known COVID + pt in over 3 weeks as her group won't let her since she is pregnant.

Obviously she feels a great deal of guilt but we all made decisions as adults to be there. During the past 5 months, we have seen my brother, her sister, our parents, and 3 couples we are close to. Thats it. Unfortunately several of these people saw us this past weekend.

We take full responsibility for the mistake. We had become used to relying on this small group for socialization during this and its devastating that even this failed. Regardless, I want people to use us as an example and learn just how contagious COVID-19 can be.

5 Questions: Stanford scientists on COVID-19 mask guidelines | News Center | Stanford Medicine
med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/…

Physical distancing, face masks, and eye protection to prevent person-to-person transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis - The Lancet
thelancet.com/journals/lance…

To clarify further as many have asked, the total count of people we saw was 8 at a secluded lake where we were outside over 90% the time intentionally. The number of 11 was including myself, my wife and daughter in the total count. Sorry for confusion. We still should have masked