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I just found this forum and wanted to share my experience, symptom timeline, and some good resources I found for providers who may be asked to work in the ICU. I am fully recovered, feel very lucky, and I'm back to work. I hope that this post is somewhat reassuring. Looking at the data, it seems that most people with COVID will have a mild course similar to mine. I am in my 30s with no medical problems.

First off, social distancing is working. I think as we try to get things restarted that we have to remember to follow guidelines and return to normal slowly. Most of us will be fine if we get the virus but we isolate ourselves to protect vulnerable members of the community.

Second, if you are a healthcare worker exposed at work you should try to find a way to get paid for the shifts you missed. Most people I talk to are able to get covered in some way through their group, small business loan program, or filing for unemployment/underemployement. I was able to get my shifts covered by my group. My wife works as a PA and was able to get paid through the small business loan program since she was quarantined after being exposed to me. I understand that not everyone may qualify for this but you should try every avenue possible.

I tested positive for COVID on March 28th. The group that I work for is aggressive about testing the healthcare workers when symptoms arise and overall has done a pretty good job protecting us with proper PPE.

I was probably exposed during my shifts between 3/24-3/27. I'll assume it was the 24th because we had an uptick of possible COVID patients that day and I intubated two of them. I was wearing full PPE during both intubations.

Overall my course was very mild and I would probably have not even gone to get tested if I did not lose my sense of smell. I decided not to start any experimental treatments since my symptoms were so mild and I did not think risk was worth the benefit. I'm glad I didn't at the time because it seems that most of the new data on HCQ is negative.

Timeline:
3/24: likely exposure.
3/28: late evening developed sore throat, general malaise, and subjective fever (I don't actually know what my temperature was because I don't have a thermometer at home). I had a glass of wine with dinner and noticed I could not smell or taste it at all around 10pm. No nasal congestion associated with lack of smell.
3/29: Still had sore throat but subjective fever. Mild shortness of breath and chest pain. Could not taste or smell anything throughout the day. I burnt some food I was cooking because I couldn't smell it and only noticed when the kitchen was filling with smoke. I got tested around 10am. They insert a single swab into each nostril for 6 seconds and twist when it is at the proper depth, if they do it right it hurts.
3/30: Woke up with mild nasal congestion that resolved by noon. Asymptomatic and regained sense of smell after this

I have made myself available to help out in the ICU if I am needed there. I've been reading as much as I can to learn how to manage these patients long term if I am needed. Also, if any of the docs here need help at their sites PM me.

Anesthesia recommendations on intubation of COVID patients:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/anae.15054

ID guidelines on COVID treatment:

https://www.idsociety.org/practice-guideline/covid-19-guideline-treatment-and-management/

Introductory course for ventilation of COVID patients.

https://www.edx.org/course/mechanical-ventilation-for-covid-19

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