Sheffield engineer tests positive TWICE for Covid-19 and says it’s ‘much worse’ second time around

Matthew Varcoe, 23, first fell ill back in August 2020, feeling weak and lethargic with a terrible cough and tested positive for coronavirus.

After 10 long days, he started to feel better and had almost returned to his normal state of health when he was knocked over by a second bout of the virus.

Testing positive for the second time in September 2020, the engineer was bed bound for two weeks and found himself struggling to breathe.

Now finally on the road to recovery, Matthew from Sheffield is sharing his experience to warn others about the second battle with the virus being much harder than the first.

He said: "The first time I had it, I was a bit worried, I'd heard stories about people being hospitalised, so it was a relief when I recovered so quickly. I thought it was all over.

"The first time round, I was getting chills and a bit of a temperature with a cough, but after about five days, my symptoms subsided and I just felt a bit weak still.

"I went back to work after my self isolation period and felt almost back to normal but then I started getting symptoms again at the start of September.

The young engineer added: "I couldn't believe it when I tested positive but as soon as the results came through, I felt awful and I knew I definitely had it again.

"I had the same symptoms as last time but they were far more severe - I had a seriously high temperature, I didn't have the energy to do anything, I was barely eating, “ he said.

"I felt awful and I was struggling with my breath. My lungs felt like I couldn't breathe properly and it was much harder to take a breath.

"I was bed bound for 10 days and waited it out and luckily I got better without needing hospital but it was definitely much worse the second time round."