NBC-2 anchor Peter Busch in Fort Myers, Fla., is still in quarantine after being diagnosed with Covid-19 almost three weeks ago.
Even though he’s practically asymptomatic, Busch says his tests are still coming back positive. The last Covid-19 test Busch took was on July 31.
“This time, it really shook me,” he said. “Now, here I am heading into week three, still at home. It’s starting to wear me down a little bit. I’m reading that it could take up to six weeks to get a negative test, even though they were feeling fine for weeks and weeks and weeks. The virus just stays in your body, even if they’re not contagious.
“Work is requiring me to get a negative test before I can come back,” Busch explained to viewers. “CDC [Centers for Disease Control] guidelines changed. If it’s been 10 days since you tested positive and at least three days with no symptoms, you are fine to leave quarantine and go about your daily life. NBC-2 is being stricter than that, and I understand that, and I’m fine with it. They are requiring that you have a negative test to come back.”
Busch said his symptoms started on July 16. He got his first positive test on July 20. He’s been tracking his symptoms:
- July 16: Felt headache, mild body aches
- July 17: Delivered most recent newscast on NBC-2
- July 19: Experienced fever-like chills
- July 20: Tested positive for Covid-19, began self-quarantine at home
- July 24: Symptoms of headaches, mild body aches dissipated, disappeared
- July 31: Tested positive again despite no symptoms
- Aug. 4: Tested again
- Aug. 5: Awaiting results
Busch and his co-anchor Kelly Burns say they’re excited to get back to working together.