Fully Vaccinated Nurse Tests Positive For COVID-19, Forced To Quarantine While On Vacation

A fully vaccinated nurse from Minnesota is currently stuck in Mexico after testing positive for COVID-19.

Diane Schmidt, a nurse who was vaccinated against COVID-19 last January, is now spending her time isolating at the Playa del Carmen hotel in Mexico. Schmidt, who flew to the country for her daughter's senior trip, is now required to stay in her room and is not able to leave, WFLA has learned.

“This could be a long week and a half if I really have to stay that long,” Schmidt said. She reportedly flew to Mexico on March 27 and started exhibiting symptoms such as a sore throat toward the end of the trip.

Schmidt went with her daughter, along with two other mothers and their daughters, after about a year of working round-the-clock during the pandemic, according to Inside Edition. When Schmidt started having symptoms, she initially thought it was just a sinus infection. She did not attribute her symptoms to COVID-19 because she has already been vaccinated.

It wasn't until Schmidt took a test before traveling back when she found out that she did contract COVID-19. The test was required before flying back home and so her condition was confirmed.

“I would get tested before travel. Plan that it’s very possible you could test positive,” Schmidt added. “It’s a very small room. They literally have a guard standing outside my door 24/7 ... you cannot leave.”

Luckily, the nurse tapped into her COVID-19 insurance, which would cover her extended stay in the hotel.

“This $30 insurance would cover your stay here at the hotel for an additional 14 days and includes your room and food. So now I’m really glad I signed that paper,” she said.

As of last week, Minnesota has reported about 222 vaccine breakthrough cases. Breakthrough cases are those in which people who have already been inoculated still get infected with COVID-19.

Nevertheless, Schmidt expressed her faith in the COVID-19 vaccine, noting that her case is an outlier.

“My case is definitely an outlier. I would still highly recommend the vaccine,” Schmidt said. She added that before she could fly back home, she would have to test negative for the virus.