x
Breaking News
More () »

SA family urges caution after holiday celebration leads to infected household

A Texas family learns that even small, intimate gatherings carry risk.

SAN ANTONIO — “It’s so cute,” said Andrea Guerrero-Guajardo, describing a book she found for her daughter-in-law. “It’s like a little baby book about Selina.”

“Oh! I’m so excited!” Vanessa Martinez said.

Martinez and Guerrero-Guajardo have a lot to look forward too.

“We’re two close households,” Guerrero-Guajardo said. “You know, our kids are together and expecting a child.”

Both women have done extensive work in public policy. Martinez is on the Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women and Guerrero-Guajardo has worked on public health policy for 20 years.

“Before our kids got together, we didn’t know each other. But now that they are, we realize that we have… a lot of mutual friends and common interests,” Guerrero-Guajardo said. “It’s been very surreal how the universe has brought us together.”

But as their families were growing together, it was a Father's Day gathering – a celebration of family – that put it all at risk.

“We both thought, ‘Well, we’re being pretty careful, and it shouldn’t be too risky for just a quick Father’s Day lunch.’ And this is the consequence, unfortunately.”

Neither Andrea nor Vanessa were at the lunch, and even though it was a gathering of fewer than ten people, in accordance with state guidelines, it didn’t stop the novel coronavirus from coming home and infecting Andrea’s entire household, as well as Vanessa’s pregnant daughter.

“When we got our test results, it was really terrifying to think that my entire family, including now Emily and our new grandchild, are at risk for death.” Guerrero-Guajardo said.

She said that, fortunately, most of the people in her household are experiencing only mild symptoms.

“Emily, my pregnant daughter, is having a very, very tough time,” Martinez said. “She has the terrible cough, she feels like her lungs are glassy, she’s tired, she is trying to get through the breathing exercises. But being pregnant, that’s an extra difficulty.”

Guerrero-Guajardo said she was surprised her family ended up contracting the virus considering how seriously she has taken the guidelines.

“I’ve been a public health professional for 20 years, and so I feel like I was being very careful; social distancing, only going out for groceries, always wearing my mask,” Guerrero-Guajardo said. “In this instance, it just took one person who had been infected at some time to spread that to the rest of the families.”

Realizing how easy it was for the virus to spread through her family, Andrea shared her story on Twitter, hoping other San Antonians would take notice and keep their story in mind during their own holiday celebrations.

“Hopefully sharing the story of what happened between our households will make some other folks think that they don’t want to be where we are,” she said.

“The best way that you can help yourself and your community right now is by staying home, and being safe at home,” Martinez added. “Next July Fourth, we can look at it then. But this July Fourth, it’s not worth it.”

RELATED: San Antonio Missions modifying operations in response to coronavirus pandemic

RELATED: 'I am healthy. And now, I can barely even breathe': SA mother shares long-term effects of coronavirus

RELATED: Freeman Coliseum being prepped as potential COVID-19 hospitalization site, but only as a last resort

Before You Leave, Check This Out