Bass Coast Health Board Member and Phillip Island resident Mim Kershaw has never felt lingering
lethargy and insomnia like that caused by COVID-19.
And that’s nearly a month after catching the virus.
Without being triple vaxxed, she fears her symptoms would have been far worse.
“COVID hit us hard and fast,” Mim said.
As a Board Director, Mim knew of the intricate details of the impact COVID is having on the
community.
She hears about the policies, the numbers, the strategy and the toll it has taken on the BCH team who
have been front and centre for more than two years.
She has heard the BCH team talk about the impact COVID can have on normally healthy people, but
didn’t quite understand just how impacting it was until she suffered the COVID disease herself.
Mim and her husband Derrick caught COVID in early March at a cinema near Queenscliff.
“No-one was wearing masks but everyone was seated with two seat gaps between them,” she said.
“We were on a brief holiday and our daughter and two grandchildren were joining us for the Labour
Day long weekend.
“A day after we came home my husband became unwell with a sore throat, aches and pains and
coughs. He tested positive to COVID and was very unwell. He suffered coughing fits that caused
severe chest pain.”
Each day after, another of Mim’s family tested positive to COVID. Mim’s experience shows how quickly
COVID can spread within families.
“We feel very guilty that we impacted our family so severely,” she said.
COVID has prevented the family from returning to life as usual; they simply do not have the energy.
But they are grateful their vaccines were up to date to lessen the symptoms and impact.
“The message to everyone is get vaccinated, keep wearing masks and stay safe to protect family,
community and our precious healthcare personnel.”