As COVID-19 continues to spread throughout the world, the government and individuals are pushing people to stay home and practice social distancing. However, there are still jiu-jitsu practitioners who are continuing to train with people they don’t live with, violating social distancing guidelines and risking spreading the coronavirus even more.
Now, a BJJ brown belt has shared his own experience with the virus, posting on Reddit that his mom had tested positive for the virus and that he and his dad were both showing symptoms and quarantined at home while they await their own test results. “Take this seriously. Don’t be stupid,” he said in his post title.
“My mom was diagnosed and hospitalized as she has an autoimmune disease and at greatest risk. My dad and I are quarantined at home. My mom feels weak and is on an oxygen machine and IV as her oxygen levels are low. My dad feels weak as well he has: dry coughs, fever, body aches, dizziness. His breathing is fine and was instructed by his doctor to remain home. He lacks an appetite and more than once I had to plead for him to eat. I feel the same but to a lesser extent. I have no sense of taste or smell. Physical activity is terribly exhausting.
I know I will pull through all this but not a day goes by where I worry they won’t. So please, stay home, spend time with your loved ones and be thankful they are healthy. Don’t put them at risk. The time for training and your jiu-jitsu glory will come again.”
The Redditor, who requested to go only by his first name, Michael, added in a comment that he’s in his early twenties, while his parents are in their fifties. He says that he lives in New York City, where most of New York‘s 67,00-and-counting confirmed cases are. He told the Jiu-Jitsu Times what he and his dad have experienced since getting sick.
“My dad and I are still awaiting to be tested despite having symptoms and being in contact with someone who has tested positive. Our doctor told us that while she is certain that we are infected, tests are focused on more severe cases (difficulty breathing). Most we’ve been told to do is take Tylenol, drink some tea, and stay hydrated. So while people sit and wait and complain for all this to blow over, there are people being told all they could do is sit and wait (and hope) to feel better. They should consider themselves fortunate to be the former.”
Remember: training jiu-jitsu with someone who doesn’t live with you (yes, even if it’s just one teammate) goes against social distancing recommendations. Please follow the World Health Organization‘s guidelines to protect yourself and others from the coronavirus.
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