Retired police officer says COVID-19 worse than being shot

ATLANTA - With the number of coronavirus cases escalating rapidly, chances are pretty good you know someone or a family that's contracted it.

What happens to you? Short of it becoming fatal, how bad is it?

"Three days later, I woke up with a high fever, body aches, and chills," said Richard Straut.

The virus struck Straut at the age of 55. He has recovered fully.

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But with his case, it's possible to take a measurement of what the illness can be like.

Straut is a former officer with the Atlanta Police Department. He said he has a high tolerance for pain.

And what happened to him in 1989 is indicative of that?

He was shot in the head in the line of duty. The cranial injury caused some paralysis.

He ultimately came through that and was able to complete his law enforcement career.

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There was long-lasting muscle pain from that injury. With ten days of COVID-19, he described pain that was broader and in some ways even more intense.

"Like something was stabbing me in every joint," Straut said.

One thing the former cop was not pleased with was the instruction he got from medical personnel. He was told to drink fluids and let it run its course.

Straut said he would have been willing to take even alternative medicine if it had been offered.

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