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Mom raises awareness about COVID-19 symptoms after daughter’s scare

CHARLOTTE — Shady Hardy’s said her 2-year-old daughter initially tested positive for COVID-19 after showing mild symptoms.

“I noticed she was just sneezing a little bit, a little bit of a runny nose,” Hardy said.

She got results back from a rapid test. Her doctors warned her that results from a standard test could take up to nine days.

[ALSO READ: NC reports lowest number of COVID-19 cases since late June; percent positive at 5%]

“And I’m thinking, ‘One to nine days?’” Hardy said. “I’ve got to get this girl back to school because she’s 2 ½. She’s into everything. I’ve got to work. My husband works.”

In the meantime, Hardy’s family went under quarantine. Hardy posted on Facebook to warn other parents not to ignore the signs, no matter how mild they may seem.

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“I just couldn’t bear the thought if something were to happen to someone else’s family member because of me not doing my due diligence,” Hardy said.

Her daughter's test result proved later to be a false positive. Four other tests returned negative.

Several other parents at her daughter’s daycare had their children tested too. Two of them came back positive.

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“And those kids at her school, they took regular standard tests,” Hardy said. “It’s scary to think about.”

Hardy said she wants to raise awareness after her experience.

“You just never know,” she said. “I mean look at those two kids she went to school with that did test positive.”