Larocque says she followed all public health safety measures and somehow still contracted the virus
A Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) from Windsor-Essex says she feels very fortunate to receive one of the first COVID-19 vaccinations in the region.
For 10 years, Edith Larocque has been working at Amica Riverside in Windsor and tested positive for COVID-19 in April along with her husband.
Larocque says they both followed all public health safety measures and somehow still contracted the virus.
"I would strip off, put my clothes into a bin in the garage so it wasn't even coming in so it just goes to show how highly highly contagious this is," she says. "People have no idea because we took all the precautions that there were, be it, my husband still got it and I got it as well."
Larocque says she first developed symptoms on Easter Sunday and realized she couldn't smell the food she was cooking.
"Going to bed every night you always thought like I wonder what tomorrow is going to hold for me," she says. "It's actually a little frightening because you don't know what the next day is."
Larocque is asking the public not to take the gamble and stresses the importance of getting the vaccine.
"This is the best gift that you can give to yourself, people around you," she adds. "This is not a hoax it really is not a hoax. You have no idea how your body is going to react to COVID."
The first vaccination was administrated just after 7:20 Tuesday morning at the St. Clair College Sportsplex.
Seven individuals including Larocque were vaccinated in the first hour.
130 local health care workers are expected to receive the first dose of the vaccine Tuesday.