A Bloomsburg University junior, Bailey Walck, tested positive for COVID-19 early this March after baring the virus last year. He and his family were some of the first cases in Wayne County, contracting the virus early last April.
Unsure about returning to campus in August, Walck hoped antibodies remained in his system. He feared how the virus might affect him again if he were to re-contract it.

Walck explained the severity of his symptoms from his first experience,

“The first time definitely took a toll… I had immense chest pains, chills, coughing, and all of the other symptoms you get along with it. But what was scary about it was the chest pains. It seemed like every time I would breathe; I had hundreds of pounds of weight just sitting on my chest.”

Last semester Walck took precautions by staying in his apartment most of the time. After a few weeks, some of Bailey’s friends and those around him tested positive but luckily, he remained negative… until he returned this Spring.
One morning, about a month ago, Walck woke up unable to smell anything but the scent of ammonia. Shortly, he started having headaches which then led to vomiting.

Unsure about what was wrong Bailey took himself to the Geisinger hospital in Bloomsburg. After a couple of questions and a COVID-19 test, a doctor informed Walck that he was positive for COVID-19. Shocked about his results, he told the doctor this was the second time he tested positive. The first result was almost a year prior.
Walck explained the doctor’s reaction,

“He was just as shocked as I was when I said this isn’t my first time getting it. Then he and other doctors proceeded to say that this is mainly something you hear about but nothing you see in front of you.”

The CDC’s website explains that while cases of reinfection do occur, they are rare. In order to be diagnosed with reinfection, you must have recovered and been infected for a second time.