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2021 started off intensely: hospitals are turning people away; quarantine has become an everyday occurrence. On top of everything going on this year, the COVID-19 test is the talk of Eagle Mountain. After coming into close contact with multiple positive cases, many students want to know if they caught the virus as well but are in fear that this excruciating test is too much to bear.   

Living in a uniquely historical moment, Etowah students have experienced many “firsts,” but a surprising number of people have never had to take a COVID test. There have been rumors about it being extremely painful, or even feeling like the swab touches the brain, leaving students terrified of the idea.  

“I was really scared to get my COVID test. All my friends and my dad said it hurt, but not for a long time. When the day came to take a test, I was so nervous. However, it honestly wasn’t that bad. It felt like someone was trying to tickle your nose, so it was uncomfortable,” Breanna Welton, sophomore, said.  

While there are several ways to receive a COVID test, the most medically accurate version is the dreaded nasal swab. Most students wince at the thought of the six-inch cotton swab being shoved up their nose. However, several of those who have taken the test report that it is not as awful as it seems, comparing it to an uncomfortable, nose-tickling feeling. In many places, one can even perform the test on themselves.  

“I was scared because I thought they were just going to shove this stick up my brain, but instead they gave me the stick, and I got to do it, so I felt a lot more comfortable,” Madison Mendenhall, junior, said.  

While COVID vaccines are being released to medical professionals and becoming more accessible to the public, many feel it is still crucial to take the nasal swab when feeling symptoms, or after getting within close contact of a positive.  

“I think getting tested is important because it helps the school with contact tracing by seeing how many people are actually infected, especially with the asymptomatic people out there,” Makayla Shaffer, junior, said. 

As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, testing centers remain available at many local pharmacies and motorized testing centers. For more information, contact your healthcare provider or the Cherokee County Healthcare Department.