I Am Not Invincible: My COVID-19 Story

In this first-person, non-fiction essay, David J. Vega, a fourth-year medical student at Indiana University, recounts his COVID-19 story in his blog post, “I am not invincible: My COVID-19 Story.”

Vega describes his surprise at contracting the virus despite being young and healthy. He notes, “I thought I was INVINCIBLE—I thought I was immune to this coronavirus because I am healthy and young. But I was wrong.” His symptoms, which lasted 13 days, were severe and dispelled his sense of invincibility. He reflects on his initial complacency and failure to observe precautions in early March 2020, stating, “Looking back, there were too many opportunities for me to have caught this virus. I did not take my health seriously.” Vega highlights the health risks faced by frontline healthcare workers, particularly due to the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE). Drawing on his experience, he urges readers—especially young adults—to take public health guidelines seriously to reduce mortality and alleviate pressure on the healthcare system