Slater and Marjo had the chance to speak with Live 95.9 weekend and New Country 94.7 DJ Ryan Pause about his COVID-19 diagnosis. Pause, who admits he wasn't taking the pandemic as seriously as he should have, says he attended a social gathering with friends in North Adams around Apr. 1 when in the following days he fell ill.

With cases of COVID-19 rising in younger people across the country, the 25-year-old's story is a stark reminder that the coronavirus pandemic is not over.

Slater: Ok, Ryan be honest, were you taking this pandemic seriously or not?

Ryan: At first I was not, but now that I've experienced it, it's a whole different story.

Slater: Do you know where you picked it up? Were you not distancing? Were you not in a mask? What do you think happened?

Ryan: I was at a friend's house in North Adams, not distancing properly, with a group of friends, (one of them was symptomatic with a stomach issue). The next thing you know, I awoke with a fever of about 100F, just about everyone who I was with at that house also got sick. I was hoping it was the flu, then I tested positive for COVID-19.

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Slater: Did you pass it on to your parents? Did they fall ill as well?

Ryan: They did test positive; however, they did not experience the symptoms that I had experienced for more than a week. They both received the vaccine shortly before they tested positive.

Slater: Did you have to go to the hospital and receive monoclonal antibodies?

Ryan: Yes I did. They hooked me up to an IV for about an hour. You actually start feeling well soon after.

Slater: What would you say to anyone 25 years old or younger about your experience with COVID-19?

Ryan: Well....all I can say is that it isn't a very nice experience AT ALL. It's almost like you got hit in the head with a brick and almost like you're not gonna make it out of it.

Slater: Had you ever been sicker in your life?

Ryan: I have never been sicker in my life. I have never had a fever for seven straight days. My fever reached 103.5 at one point.

Slater: Well, I'm sorry you had to take the brunt of this and I'm glad you are on the mend.

Ryan: I'm glad I can share my story with you, this is pretty serious stuff, do your thing and stay safe.

LOOK: Answers to 30 common COVID-19 vaccine questions

While much is still unknown about the coronavirus and the future, what is known is that the currently available vaccines have gone through all three trial phases and are safe and effective. It will be necessary for as many Americans as possible to be vaccinated in order to finally return to some level of pre-pandemic normalcy, and hopefully these 30 answers provided here will help readers get vaccinated as soon they are able.

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