Photo Courtesy Caralyn Hoffman
COVID-19

‘It is here, and it is very real’: PG woman speaking out after battle with COVID-19

Dec 11, 2020 | 4:14 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – Nearly three weeks after testing positive, Caralyn Hoffman is speaking out, as she continues to recover from COVID-19.

Hoffman tested positive on November 23rd, since then she hasn’t been able to work even though she was never hospitalized.

“I got it on a Sunday, and by Tuesday I was confined to my bed,” says Hoffman. “The only thing I could do was get up to go to the bathroom and even that felt like I was running a marathon.”

Inevitably, Caralyn also infected her husband Scott shortly after, fortunately, his battle with COVID-19 not nearly as severe as her own.

Hoffman says she was bedridden for eight days, and now still continues to deal with many post-COVID effects.

“I don’t think it was until this week (December 7-11), that I actually started to move around,” says Hoffman. “It doesn’t matter if you’re discharged, you aren’t contagious but you’re feeling the effects.”

As cases continue to surge in Northern BC, Hoffman hopes her story can be a warning for others to be extra cautious.

“It is here in Prince George and it is very real”, says Hoffman. “Lots of people in Prince George have it, and you just have know that, wear your mask, and keep your six feet away.”

Hoffman shared her message in a Facebook post-Thursday, pleading with the public to follow public health orders.

So just thought I would do a quick update. Many of you already know but lots do not. I contracted Covid back in November…

Posted by Caralyn Brady Hoffman on Thursday, December 10, 2020

Northern Health says critical care occupancy remains high in all of their facilities, as of December 10th, 71% of beds were full forcing patients into other areas of the province for care.

UHNBC in Prince George had 20 of 23 critical care beds occupied.