Thousands spend New Year's Eve in isolation with COVID-19

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As many people ring in the New Year around the country, thousands of Carolinians spent the evening battling COVID-19.

Isolation isn't the way Yolanda Trotman thought she'd spend her night ringing in the new year. 

"I'm just glad to be here," she said. "Because there's so many people who didn't make it."

She's battling COVID-19, a breakthrough case after being vaccinated. 

The past few days spent in her home have been nerve-wracking, to say the least.

"The most anxiety," Trotman said. "I think I felt anxiety during this illness, honestly, because you don't know what to expect."

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Like many Americans, she was exposed by a friend. In her case, she believes she was exposed in a car ride to Sunday's Carolina Panthers game.

She knew she was bound to get COVID-19. 

"I was able to get a rapid test," she said. "It didn't even take minutes on there, like that positive T shot up so quick."

She believes because she was vaccinated, her symptoms have been mild. 

"I was surprised at how quickly the fever has shot up and sustained over 102," she said. 

She also had some fatigue and backaches and just didn't feel herself. 

With COVID-19 spreading rapidly in the Carolinas, Trotman is just thankful she chose to get vaccinated. 

"I absolutely know the vaccine did its job," she said. "I have no question that it did what it was supposed to do."

She'll likely be on the mend through the weekend and is already feeling better, but she asks that all of us do our part to stay healthy. She added, if you're sick get tested. 

"You don't know what you could possibly have. It could be a cold, it could be COVID," Trotman said. "But why run that risk of spreading it to other people just get tested?"

Trotman said although it's not the best way to ring in the new year, she remains thankful. 

"I think at the end of the day, it's it's so much more meaningful to be able to be able to have that time to reflect," Trotman said, adding, "It could have been a lot worse. And we have so much to be grateful for, in spite of all of what we're dealing with now."