By Kate Smith | April 17, 2020 at 3: 43 PM CDT – Updated April 17 at 7: 49 PM
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) – A Huntsville mother has tested positive for COVID-19; not once, but twice. First diagnosed on March 27, she spent 18 days quarantined in her home.
“God provided me with grace and mercy. I feel great, I was never sick enough to go to the hospital,” said Donna Gibson. But earlier this week, Donna Gibson received some-not-so great news. “My test was positive again. It was still positive. I was like what? I am thinking how could that be?”
She’s been fever-free and showing no symptoms of COVID-19 since late March. Her state-mandated quarantine expired on Monday. Feeling good, she left her house. “So, I don’t know who I could have exposed this virus to while I was out at Sam’s on Wednesday.”
Needing to test negative before returning to work as a health care provider she went back to the flu & fever clinic. Only to get her second positive results. “I said how could that be, she said we are seeing a lot of people testing positive 21 to 37 days out.”
Across the country, testing is prioritized for those with COVID-19 symptoms. In Alabama, it’s rare for people to get retested. “It’s case by case, as it needs to be,” said Huntsville Hospital Health System CEO David Spillers.
Donna can’t help but think of all the other people who went back to their daily routines without a second test. She encourages people to stay at home as long as possible to protect each other. “We need to be in quarantine for at least 40 to 45 days. Thirty-seven is the longest she’s seen someone test positive, lets play it safe and do at least 40 days.”
Gibson plans to stay at home another 14 days. She will not be able to return to work until she tests negative for COVID-19.
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