Thursday, March 28, 2024

COVID-19: Charlie Austin tests positive for virus

West Bromwich Albion striker Charlie Austin has become the latest professional footballer to test positive for COVID-19.

Austin told the Telegraph he has not seen his wife or children since last Saturday, despite having been in the same house as them.

As advised, he has been staying in a bedroom in his house during this last week, and will be allowed to resume contact with his family from Saturday.

Austin described his symptoms to the Telegraph, telling them of how his temperature soared while he experienced cold sweats.

“I felt like someone had chucked a bucket of water over me,” remarked the 30-year-old. “I was soaking.”

Charlie Austin in isolation

Austin also spoke of how he believes he picked the virus up at Cheltenham Festival last week. Austin was one of 250,000 people to pass through the gates of Cheltenham race course over the course of the week – perhaps ill-advisedly.

If Austin managed to contract it, who knows how many of the other visitors to the festival also have the disease – many of whom may not even know about it.

The striker issued a stark warning to young people to take this disease seriously!

“Before I started feeling the symptoms on Saturday I was on the phone to my wife Bianca’s mother and I said to her that I hoped if anyone in our family got it that it would be me,” he said.

“I felt like I was fit and healthy and I could handle it. A week later and I would say to anyone, even those in their 20s and 30s – ‘Don’t take it lightly – it’s serious’.

“I get that people who haven’t got it are going about their lives. Last week, I was living my life. Not that I didn’t take coronavirus seriously. But this is extremely serious and we should take it that way.”

It seems as though there is a clear distinction in symptoms between different people. Some people can’t breathe and end up in hospital, some have mild flu-like symptoms and some don’t get any symptoms at all.

The one major similarity between all of us though is that we all need to step up the level of care we’re taking. I suspect you’re probably tired of hearing this by now, but make sure to wash your hands as much as you can and please, stay at home if you can help it.

The only way we beat this is together. Stay safe out there everyone.

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