Recovered COVID-19 patient tests positive 2nd time

A recovered coronavirus patient in Yonkers tested positive a second time after making a full recovery.

News 12 Staff

Apr 2, 2020, 6:53 PM

Updated 1,482 days ago

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A recovered coronavirus patient in Yonkers tested positive a second time after making a full recovery.
Julie Thaler was part of the initial cluster of coronavirus cases stemming from New Rochelle.
Thaler went to the ER twice during the two weeks she battled the coronavirus.
"I was considered a mild case for sure. The fact that I was not on a ventilator I am so thankful for sure,” she says.
After she stopped showing symptoms, she self-isolated for a week before making a trip to a hospital in hopes of donating plasma to help other coronavirus patients.
That's where she was tested again, and she soon learned she was positive for the coronavirus a second time.
 "The people who gave me those results were so confused what that meant. Some said it just confirms you had it…. another woman said it means you still have it,” she says.
While it’s still unknown how long a person can be contagious after coronavirus symptoms subside, Westchester County Health commissioner Dr. Sherlita Amler says the current coronavirus test isn't a good predictor.
"Those tests do not test at that point whether or not the person is infectious, they only test for the presence of viral particles,” says Amler.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends those who recover from the coronavirus self-isolate for at least three full days after they stop showing symptoms of the virus.
"I isolated much longer than they said, and I was still positive. It just dawned on me that there are a lot of people out there not getting that second test,” says Thaler.
Thaler worries some coronavirus patients who recover could further spread the disease. She says she wants the CDC to review its current guidelines and consider a revision.
Thaler says she isolated for an additional seven days after getting the second positive test.
She is getting tested for the coronavirus a third time Friday. If it's negative, she plans to donate plasma to help others battling the coronavirus.
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