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COVID-19 survivor's warning to young adults: 'We can all get sick'

Raven says she doesn't get too personal on social media, but decided she needed to share her story to warn young adults about this seriousness of this virus.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Raven McGregor is athletic, young (she's 27) and a survivor of COVID-19.

Raven says she doesn't get too personal on social media, but decided she needed to share her story to warn young adults about this seriousness of this disease. 

"I was thinking, I still see so many people in my age group out at parks and still having little get togethers at their house and parties," said McGregor. "I really just thought it was worth it to tell people that we're not immune, no one is immune and it's not something you want to have. I felt terrible."

It all started when she lost her taste and smell. A couple of days later, she says her health took a turn for the worse. 

"I went to brush my teeth and had to sit down because I felt like I was suffocating," McGregor said.  "I went to take a shower and that was really hard to do. It was just shortness of breath and I always felt like I was suffocating."

McGregor told WLTX she didn't think this would happen to her, especially because she is young and healthy. 

"I had this selfish mindset in the beginning," said McGregor.  "One that I'm not going to get sick. It wasn't a big deal. Two, if I did get sick, it was not going to effect me. I was going to get over it."

She kept hearing that the disease targets elderly people. Her experience proved otherwise. 

"It does not discriminate. No matter how old you are. We can all get sick," McGregor said. 

According to John Hopkins University, "Severe illness is occurring in people who have no known risk factors, including young adults and even children."

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows over 7,000 people under the age of 18 have tested positive for COVID-19 as of April 14th. It also shows that more than 145,000 people between that ages of 18 and 44 have contracted the virus as well. 

Raven say she doesn't want the numbers to go up and sharing her story has been well worth it. 

"Everyone was just like 'whoah,' I need to take this more serious," said McGregor. "People who are already taking this seriously were just like look. she's 27, she's healthy, she got it. and it really made her sick."

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