It鈥檚 so easy to explain away symptoms.
Runny nose? It鈥檚 just allergies.
Headache? Not enough caffeine.
Aches and pains? I overdid it at the gym.
In normal times, we can all be forgiven for pushing through when we鈥檙e sick. Let鈥檚 face it: We鈥檝e all done it at one time or another. But things are different these days. That鈥檚 why our behavior has to change. The stakes are simply too high.
It鈥檚 so important to follow all of the Journey Ahead protocols. But the emergence of new, more easily transmissible strains of COVID-19–combined with pandemic fatigue and the dangers of falling into the 鈥渋t won鈥檛 happen to me鈥� trap–means we all should pay special attention to one of them in particular:
Stay home when you鈥檙e sick.
OK, sure. It might just be allergies. Or not enough coffee. Or that extra set of burpees. But what if it isn鈥檛?
Don鈥檛 risk community spread by ignoring any symptoms of illness. If you wake up tomorrow morning and don鈥檛 feel 100 percent, don鈥檛 try to explain it away. Call Thrive Wellness Center at 864-622-6078 or, if you鈥檙e a student-athlete, call sports medicine at 864-231-2144.
Infection rates are trending in the right direction. Let鈥檚 keep it that way.