COVID My Camino Covid experience

[IMLiege]

I have never had Covid until I went to walk the Camino. Since the outset of the Covid pandemic I have been very careful, always wearing a mask, getting each shot as it was offered, staying away from crowds and limiting travel. My 2 oldest children and I left from different states, different flights but I didn't wear my mask, and I truly regret it. Three days after arriving in Madrid I tested positive and felt miserable. We had planned on a 200 mile walk. I managed only 25 and was positive until almost the end of our stay. I couldn't manage the backpack and had to have it transported to each hostel. I took taxis for most of the trip. Oddly enough, sharing a room with my kids, they never even got a sniffle. I'm very grateful for that.

When I first felt something was making me ill it was a Sunday. On Monday I was sure something was wrong and went to a local clinic. The doctor immediately put on his mask and asked the assistant to do so. She gave me a Covid test, but swabbed only one nostril. The doctor announced that it was negative. He gave me a prescription for Tylenol with codeine and an antibiotic. I bought a Covid test and later that same day I tested positive. I went back to the clinic on Tuesday and they remembered me. I told them I had tested positive and they all put on their masks. (I had one on.) They told me there wasn't anything they could do for me. There was no Paxlovid available. So I had to just tough it out, wear my mask and for the rest of the trip just do the best I could. About 5 days before we flew home I tested negative, although symptoms persisted for weeks afterward.

While I was uncomfortable for most of the trip we still enjoyed the trip. I just regretted not being able to walk our planned route.

-Rich

 

[Jodean]

You wearing a mask only prevents others from catching what you have, not the other way around. So, it did not matter that you weren't wearing one on the plane. The Spanish pharmacies were all still wearing masks this past April and May and wanted everyone to wear one that came through the door.

Sorry you had Covid though. I know lots of people who caught it and were very, very careful not to be in crowds, etc. I have had it twice, but work with the public.
On the Camino last year, had 2 bad colds, but it wasn't Covid. Was sick in bed for a couple of days. I was barely ill when I had Covid, maybe one day being miserable, though lost all sense of taste for about 6 months. Not sure if I have long Covid or not as any sort of incline affects my breathing. My Camino last spring way quite difficult because of this. I have to stop every couple of meters and catch my breath. Needless to say, it was hard to find anyone to walk with me.

Hope you can come back soon and walk a healthy Camino.

 

[mlabar]

I have never had Covid until I went to walk the Camino. Since the outset of the Covid pandemic I have been very careful, always wearing a mask, getting each shot as it was offered, staying away from crowds and limiting travel. My 2 oldest children and I left from different states, different flights but I didn't wear my mask, and I truly regret it. Three days after arriving in Madrid I tested positive and felt miserable. We had planned on a 200 mile walk. I managed only 25 and was positive until almost the end of our stay. I couldn't manage the backpack and had to have it transported to each hostel. I took taxis for most of the trip. Oddly enough, sharing a room with my kids, they never even got a sniffle. I'm very grateful for that.

When I first felt something was making me ill it was a Sunday. On Monday I was sure something was wrong and went to a local clinic. The doctor immediately put on his mask and asked the assistant to do so. She gave me a Covid test, but swabbed only one nostril. The doctor announced that it was negative. He gave me a prescription for Tylenol with codeine and an antibiotic. I bought a Covid test and later that same day I tested positive. I went back to the clinic on Tuesday and they remembered me. I told them I had tested positive and they all put on their masks. (I had one on.) They told me there wasn't anything they could do for me. There was no Paxlovid available. So I had to just tough it out, wear my mask and for the rest of the trip just do the best I could. About 5 days before we flew home I tested negative, although symptoms persisted for weeks afterward.

While I was uncomfortable for most of the trip we still enjoyed the trip. I just regretted not being able to walk our planned route.

-Rich

My husband and I both got Covid in Portugal on our Camino. And we DID wear masks on the plane from the USA! My husband was exhibiting symptoms & tested positive in Lisbon. We trained to Porto (whee we were to start our walk) and I got symptoms there. Our Camino turned into an “Uber” from town to town, up the coast, where we had already reserved all our stopping points - hotels mostly. I was never so happy to have pre-reserved our accommodations! All of them let us access our rooms early… where we simply collapsed. The few days we did walk were often cut short… because of lack of energy. We did walk into Santiago and were able to enjoy our post-hike week in Paris. Then I got Covid again on the flight home!! (Husband did not.) It is what it is - you roll with the punches. I did seek out a health provider in Viana do Castelo. Had a terrible cough and was prescribed medicine to expectorate & clear congestion. It saved me. Everyone was as helpful as they could be. We’ve done many Caminos… this was always going to be our last (we are 70+). Not what we planned, but still saw some beautiful coastal country, albeit from the back seat of a car! Not to mention some delicious food overlooking the ocean. Not bad for being sick!

 

[ShoshTrvls]

You wearing a mask only prevents others from catching what you have, not the other way around. So, it did not matter that you weren't wearing one on the plane.

If all you have is a piece of cloth, or a cheaply-made surgical mask, this is true. But wearing a properly-fitted N-95 mask definitely provides some protection from catching COVID (and other airborn illnesses), including on airplanes.

https://www.nytimes.com/article/covid-masks-protection-stats.html

 

[El Cascayal]

You wearing a mask only prevents others from catching what you have, not the other way around.

This is an often repeated false statement.
These are the latest WHO recommendations from October 2023.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Masks

www.who.int

Brief summary: The WHO says “wearing a mask reduces the spread of respiratory illnesses within the community by reducing the number of infectious particles that may be inhaled or exhaled” and recommends wearing one in certain situations. These include following recent exposure to COVID-19, when someone has or suspects they have COVID-19, when someone is at high-risk of severe COVID-19, and for anyone in a crowded, enclosed or poorly ventilated space.
To paraphrase Shakespeare: with sincere apologies, unable to resist…
The quality of masks is not strained
It drops as a gentle virus not from heaven
Upon respiratory mucosas beneath
It is twice blessed
It blesses him that breaths out and him that breathes in

 

[JabbaPapa]

The currently circulating variants are rather mild, and last time I had it symptomatically, it was pretty much different to a common cold mainly in that it lasted for two months rather than two days.

First couple of times, well, quite worse in terms of significant inflammatory pain.

Even so, this disease agent is now endemic and therefore unavoidable.

Yes, those pilgrims who are particularly susceptible to bad respiratory disease outcomes should absolutely take care ; people do still die from even the common cold, so that something similar lasting for weeks or months should be avoided by whichever means available.

Fresh air and sunshine are very helpful -- but clearly, in November, the latter is in lesser supply than usual.

Regardless these opinions or those ones, pilgrims more susceptible than others to poor respiratory disease outcomes are not ill-advised to step away from their pilgrimage projects for their own protection in such circumstances.

 

[Jodean]

Ok. I retract my statement then. It was my understanding that it only worked one way. Learn something every day.

 

[IMLiege]

You wearing a mask only prevents others from catching what you have, not the other way around. So, it did not matter that you weren't wearing one on the plane. T

Thanks for the kind words, Jodean.

Yes, that's true, but I'd still rather have something covering that much of my face, especially in the airports. The planes circulate the air and you're limited to just those around you. In the airports your among thousands of people, breathing, coughing, sneezing. Something is better than nothing, IMO.

I was able to do some walking, up to 13 miles on one day, about 20 km. With Covid the breathing was difficult, especially on the hills. Then I started having problems with my feet; plantar fascia. I took a 1 mile walk when I got home and tore it, so I've not been walking for a couple months.

I don't think I'll be able to make another camino. I'll be 77 next month and while I'm still in good shape, long walks are very hard on my feet, even without the backpack. I did get the experience and if I ever do go back it won't be such an unknown. Who know. I'm often surprised at what challenges life presents me.

 

[IMLiege]

My husband and I both got Covid in Portugal on our Camino. And we DID wear masks on the plane from the USA! My husband was exhibiting symptoms & tested positive in Lisbon. We trained to Porto (whee we were to start our walk) and I got symptoms there. Our Camino turned into an “Uber” from town to town, up the coast, where we had already reserved all our stopping points - hotels mostly. I was never so happy to have pre-reserved our accommodations! All of them let us access our rooms early… where we simply collapsed. The few days we did walk were often cut short… because of lack of energy. We did walk into Santiago and were able to enjoy our post-hike week in Paris. Then I got Covid again on the flight home!! (Husband did not.) It is what it is - you roll with the punches. I did seek out a health provider in Viana do Castelo. Had a terrible cough and was prescribed medicine to expectorate & clear congestion. It saved me. Everyone was as helpful as they could be. We’ve done many Caminos… this was always going to be our last (we are 70+). Not what we planned, but still saw some beautiful coastal country, albeit from the back seat of a car! Not to mention some delicious food overlooking the ocean. Not bad for being sick!

That was my first (hopefully only) Covid experience. Most of my journey was also by taxi, bus and train, but I did get to walk a total of about 25 miles. About half of that was through a wind driven misty rain, which came after I left my rain jacket in a taxi. At least I had a small umbrella to hold in front of me.

I lost the medicine the doctor had prescribed for me but I had a receipt with the prescription. I was able to go to a pharmacy and get the same thing, no prescription necessary; really odd. It helped me through the worst of it but I had difficulty breathing on the walks and lost the sense of smell for about a month.

We made daily reservations for a place to stay. Sometimes the kids put me in a taxi and they did the daily walk. I'm thankful the weather at the start of my Covid experience was cooler and sunny. Once I had to sit about 3 hours before they let me get into the room so I just sat on a bench outside.

Like you, we still enjoyed the cities and beautiful landscapes along the way. We had fun and they were able to leave me in the hotel and go see more of each town, so it wasn't a total loss.

I had breathing problems for about a month after I returned home but eventually got back to being my old self. There doesn't seem to be any lingering after effects. Yay

 

[El Cascayal]

Yes, that's true,

Please see reply #5 above. The WHO statement is succinct accurate up to this moment information and help to clear up misconceptions. All for public health and reliable information.

 

[VaughantownHiker]

The currently circulating variants are rather mild, and last time I had it symptomatically, it was pretty much different to a common cold mainly in that it lasted for two months rather than two days.

First couple of times, well, quite worse in terms of significant inflammatory pain.

Even so, this disease agent is now endemic and therefore unavoidable.

Yes, those pilgrims who are particularly susceptible to bad respiratory disease outcomes should absolutely take care ; people do still die from even the common cold, so that something similar lasting for weeks or months should be avoided by whichever means available.

Fresh air and sunshine are very helpful -- but clearly, in November, the latter is in lesser supply than usual.

Regardless these opinions or those ones, pilgrims more susceptible than others to poor respiratory disease outcomes are not ill-advised to step away from their pilgrimage projects for their own protection in such circumstances.

My husband tested positive the day after we returned home from the Norte. We both wore masks on the plane. I tested positive two weeks later after spending that time taking care of my husband (both wearing masks). He was moderately ill for three days but it took weeks for him to recover completely. I was flat on my back for a week, tested positive for two, and struggled with a cough and chest pressure for a month and still have covid fog. I was healthy and strong and this was not fun! It wasn’t a common cold for me.

 

[trecile]

I was healthy and strong and this was not fun! It wasn’t a common cold for me

I think the fact that the illness can be so different in different people is what makes it dangerous.

 

[JabbaPapa]

My husband tested positive the day after we returned home from the Norte. We both wore masks on the plane. I tested positive two weeks later after spending that time taking care of my husband (both wearing masks). He was moderately ill for three days but it took weeks for him to recover completely. I was flat on my back for a week, tested positive for two, and struggled with a cough and chest pressure for a month and still have covid fog. I was healthy and strong and this was not fun! It wasn’t a common cold for me.

My first two bouts with it were a lot worse, but please don't be mistaken -- a two month long bout of the common cold would kill some people. People die from the common cold every year.

Worst for me the first two times was the 2-3 months post-recovery of significantly worse inflammatory pain.

All three times I've had it, it was months of symptoms, not weeks.

Though as @trecile says, symptoms for this thing are greatly variable individually.

 

[IMLiege]

Please see reply #5 above. The WHO statement is succinct accurate up to this moment information and help to clear up misconceptions. All for public health and reliable information.

Over the period of time there has been Covid my wife and I have worn our masks when we leave the house. We used P95 before we could get ANY masks. (P95 were particulate masks from my workshop, good for us, bad for others because they exhausted the exhale out of a vent.) Even after the government (Federal and local) said it was no longer necessary we still wore them. I even had some with me on the trip to Spain, just didn't use them on the way over, which I regret. If I had been wearing them and still got Covid I would have at least known I had done all I could. Complacency is a dangerous thing.

 

[Philtration]

To paraphrase Shakespeare: with sincere apologies, unable to resist…
The quality of masks is not strained
It drops as a gentle virus not from heaven
Upon respiratory mucosas beneath
It is twice blessed
It blesses him that breaths out and him that breathes in

Wow! Never has Shakespeare been issue-adapted so well! Great job El Cascayal!

 

[Sidknee]

I think the challenge is that regardless of the quality of a mask, if it is not properly fitted the value diminishes quickly. As hikers/walkers that can be a challenge, particularly remembering to fit one as we roll into the next town, focussed only on that most important cafe or cafe con leche….

As the virus mutates/evolves it remains important that we continue to follow the WHO (and other medical associations) guidance.
1. Be vaccinated
2. Wear a mask
3. Practice good Hygiene
4. Maintain safe personal distancing
5. Where you feel you have the associated symptom, test yourself and seek medical advice if you test positive (isolating to reduce infection of others).

Buen Camino

 

[Elainesnider]

You wearing a mask only prevents others from catching what you have, not the other way around. So, it did not matter that you weren't wearing one on the plane. The Spanish pharmacies were all still wearing masks this past April and May and wanted everyone to wear one that came through the door.

Sorry you had Covid though. I know lots of people who caught it and were very, very careful not to be in crowds, etc. I have had it twice, but work with the public.
On the Camino last year, had 2 bad colds, but it wasn't Covid. Was sick in bed for a couple of days. I was barely ill when I had Covid, maybe one day being miserable, though lost all sense of taste for about 6 months. Not sure if I have long Covid or not as any sort of incline affects my breathing. My Camino last spring way quite difficult because of this. I have to stop every couple of meters and catch my breath. Needless to say, it was hard to find anyone to walk with me.

Hope you can come back soon and walk a healthy Camino.

My Italian cousin and I caught COVID on the Camino Frances...we tested positive about 48 hours after returning home (she to Italy and me USA). (I was on the trail for 37+ days) She had stayed in private hotels; I went the pilgrim route and stayed in albergues. The 'bug' is making its rounds.

 

[hikentravel1234]

You wearing a mask only prevents others from catching what you have, not the other way around. So, it did not matter that you weren't wearing one on the plane. The Spanish pharmacies were all still wearing masks this past April and May and wanted everyone to wear one that came through the door.

Sorry you had Covid though. I know lots of people who caught it and were very, very careful not to be in crowds, etc. I have had it twice, but work with the public.
On the Camino last year, had 2 bad colds, but it wasn't Covid. Was sick in bed for a couple of days. I was barely ill when I had Covid, maybe one day being miserable, though lost all sense of taste for about 6 months. Not sure if I have long Covid or not as any sort of incline affects my breathing. My Camino last spring way quite difficult because of this. I have to stop every couple of meters and catch my breath. Needless to say, it was hard to find anyone to walk with me.

Hope you can come back soon and walk a healthy Camino.

Although masks worked great for Delta virus, it is only minimally helpful for the omicron strains. However, is is very helpful against the flu and other viruses. And there are some nasty viruses out there.

 

[ivar]

I will close this thread here. Not that anyone did anything wrong, but a COVID discussion online many times goes wrong... just know that it exists on the Camino as well, and take care.