Greta Thunberg Says It’s ‘Extremely Likely’ She Had Coronavirus

Climate activist Greta Thunberg said it was “extremely likely” that she contracted the coronavirus after exhibiting symptoms following a trip around central Europe.

On Instagram, Thunberg said she is feeling much better and also acknowledged that she was never officially tested for the virus as her home country of Sweden is currently only administering tests to those with severe symptoms or those who belong to at-risk groups.

Thunberg said that after returning from central Europe, she spent two weeks self-isolating in a borrowed apartment away from her family. Around 10 days ago, she and her father — who’d been traveling with her — began to experience symptoms consistent with the coronavirus.

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The last two weeks I’ve stayed inside. When I returned from my trip around Central Europe I isolated myself (in a borrowed apartment away from my mother and sister) since the number of cases of COVID-19 (in Germany for instance) were similar to Italy in the beginning. Around ten days ago I started feeling some symptoms, exactly the same time as my father – who traveled with me from Brussels. I was feeling tired, had shivers, a sore throat and coughed. My dad experienced the same symptoms, but much more intense and with a fever. In Sweden you can not test yourself for COVID-19 unless you’re in need of emergent medical treatment. Everyone feeling ill are told to stay at home and isolate themselves. I have therefore not been tested for COVID-19, but it’s extremely likely that I’ve had it, given the combined symptoms and circumstances. Now I’ve basically recovered, but – AND THIS IS THE BOTTOM LINE: I almost didn’t feel ill. My last cold was much worse than this! Had it not been for someone else having the virus simultainously I might not even have suspected anything. Then I would just have thought I was feeling unusually tired with a bit of a cough. And this it what makes it so much more dangerous. Many (especially young people) might not notice any symptoms at all, or very mild symptoms. Then they don’t know they have the virus and can pass it on to people in risk groups. We who don’t belong to a risk group have an enormous responsibility, our actions can be the difference between life and death for many others. Please keep that in mind, follow the advice from experts and your local authorities and #StayAtHome to slow the spread of the virus. And remember to always take care of each other and help those in need. #COVID #flattenthecurve

A post shared by Greta Thunberg (@gretathunberg) on Mar 24, 2020 at 8:22am PDT

“I was feeling tired, had shivers, a sore throat and coughed,” Thunberg wrote. “My dad experienced the same symptoms, but much more intense and with a fever. In Sweden you can not test yourself for COVID-19 unless you’re in need of [emergency] medical treatment. Everyone feeling ill are told to stay at home and isolate themselves. I have therefore not been tested for COVID-19, but it’s extremely likely that I’ve had it, given the combined symptoms and circumstances.”

Thunberg went on to say that she has “basically recovered” and added that her “last cold was much worse than this!” To that end, she noted that had her father not been experiencing similar symptoms, she might not have considered whether she’d caught the coronavirus.

“And this it what makes it so much more dangerous,” Thunberg said. “Many (especially young people) might not notice any symptoms at all, or very mild symptoms. Then they don’t know they have the virus and can pass it on to people in risk groups. We who don’t belong to a risk group have an enormous responsibility, our actions can be the difference between life and death for many others. Please keep that in mind, follow the advice from experts and your local authorities and #StayAtHome to slow the spread of the virus. And remember to always take care of each other and help those in need.”

Featured via: Rollingstone