As it seems, the mystery of the COVID-19 infection is solved. I run to additional tests for COVID-19 infection, the following day, after my initial test returned positive, just to find out that I have no COVID, and that there is no infection in my body (this included PCR test, as well as the blood test). In the same time, the blood test confirmed that I have very high level of anti-bodies, which suggests that I am responding well to the vaccines that I had received (here is good news).

The doctor believes that my initial test was a 'false positive', due to potential mistakes that had been done while taking my samples/carrying out the initial test.

Whatever the reason, the consequences are substantial: cancelled (important) humanitarian mission (as I could not board the plane), costs of tickets, costs of cancelling the hotels, frustration on a part of my hosts (UN, IFRC, and the host authorities), temporary closure of our office in Panama, panic of my mother, a major uspet on my side.

Not only the above, it seems like, even if the authorities of Panama recognise that I am negative (and the initial test was most likely 'false positive'), I am under the obligatory quarantine of 14 days, and it is unlikely to be lifted.

I will spare you from bad language, but you can only imagine how upset I am not to mention the disappointment…

The positive is that the situation trains my patience, teaches a bit of humility, as it forces you to deal with stuff that you have absolutely no influence over. And yes, it is good to know that I am healthy and it was a false alarm, after all!