Madison Co. man with COVID-19 speaks out

JACKSON, Tenn. — Marty Clements, a former Madison County emergency management director, speaks about being one of the patients with COVID-19.

“Low grade fever, just feeling weak, but for the most part I had chills and headache early, but all that’s gone away. For the most part, everything’s good!” Clements said.

Clements and his wife Wendy have been isolated at home since they started feeling early symptoms of COVID-19 on March 20.

He said they’re isolated until April 10, waiting out the viral disease.

“Just bored, not enough really good television shows on. There’s just so many times that I can clean my guns and my fishing rod,” Clements said.

Clements was first tested on March 26, and his positive test was confirmed on March 30.

He says he had been wearing masks and gloves as a precaution since February.

“I have a 91-year-old mother who lives next door, and I’ve done other stuff. So, I’ve had to take a lot of extra precautions regardless, I still got it,” Clements said.

Clements says he isn’t sure how he caught the virus, and that it felt like the flu at first.

While he’s grateful he and his wife’s symptoms are mild, he says it’s more important than ever to just stay home and take this seriously.

“I feel for these people who are losing parts of their lives they can’t get back because they can’t go to the beach, they can’t go on vacation, they can’t do anything,” Clements said. “But,that’s only for a small amount of time.”

“Think about the person they love the most and because they didn’t take precautions, they gave it to that person and they died,” Clements said. “How are you going to feel about it for the rest of your life?”

Clements says he plans to still be careful, even after he’s released from quarantine.