ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — A St. Louis County police officer who had coronavirus has recovered and is back at work.
For the first time in three weeks, St. Louis County police officer Nathan Phillips put on his uniform and returned to duty this weekend. His fellow officers didn't treat him any differently.
"They told me they were going to stick me in the basement or in one of the precinct cells for the day," he said laughing. "Jokes like normal, nice and lighthearted happy times."
It was welcomed after days home with his family and COVID-19.
Officer Phillips said his wife and stepson started showing symptoms first. He said he talked to his supervisors and they agreed he should stay home, just in case. Both he and his wife ended up testing positive.
"The first day or two of having symptoms I wasn't overly wanting to do much,” he said.
Phillips said he had a cough, a fever, body aches, headaches and chills. After a couple of days, those symptoms went away, and shortness of breath set in, he said.
"You go up the stairs from the basement and you feel like you worked out a little bit,” he said.
But Phillips said nothing he felt was ever extreme. He and his wife were able to do yard work during their recovery. He even read the comments on the department's Facebook about him.
"There's just a lot of love and support from the community and it just meant a lot to me and my family,” he said.
He has a message for that community and everyone else reading his story: "Keep hope that you can get through it and take all the precautions you can to maintain your health."
Officer Phillips said his department has issued masks, goggles and gloves to officers as they work through this pandemic.
The officer was one of approximately 1,600 people in St. Louis County who tested positive or COVID-19 since the pandemic reached the region. So far, he's the only officer with the department to have the virus. He tested positive on April 6, the department said.
“I am thrilled to have Officer Phillips return to work. Knowing that first responders are not immune to COVID-19, it speaks to his dedication to duty and willingness to serve the citizens of St. Louis County,” Chief Jon Belmar said in a news release. “I am very proud to have him, and many others of his caliber, so prevalent in our police department.”
The department's spokesman said despite the challenges of the pandemic, the department remains ready to serve and is fully able to protect the safety and security of the public.
Editor's note: The St. Louis County Police Department previously said the officer tested positive on March 28, but have since corrected to say it was April 6.
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