Wichita woman self quarantines, tests for COVID-19 after partying among crowds at Lake of the Ozarks

A woman from Wichita follows guidelines now that she's back home after a recent holiday trip spent among the crowds shown at packed pool parties over Memorial Day Weekend at the Lake of the Ozarks.

Rachel Wake joined friends in being part of the crowds that largely ignored recommendations to safeguard against COVID-19, including social distancing.

"I understand just because you're on vacation doesn't mean the pandemic stops, but it felt normal for the first time in a really long time (because) everyone was having fun on vacation," Wake says.

Since her return home early this week, Wake has been in quarantine. Friday, she was tested for COVID-19 in Lawrence where she works and goes to school.

"Getting back here and being told I should quarantine for 14 days was a reminder that this is still going on and very real," she says.

She says she tested for the virus after experiencing a runny nose and sore throat.

"I haven't been coughing, it's mainly just a sore throat and runny nose," Wake says.

She says another person in her group had similar symptoms earlier this week and tested negative for COVID-19.

"It's a little ease of mind because his symptoms described sounded close to what the CDC lists for symptoms of COVID-19, so that was alarming and that's what pushed me to get tested," Wake says.

Friday, a Boone County, Mo. man who hopped from bar to bar last weekend at the Lake of the Ozarks tested positive for COVID-19. Health officials say he was likely contagious at the time.

Wake says she'll get her results from the testing next week. In the meantime, she says she'll continue to quarantine, but has no regrets about going on the trip.

"It might be selfish, but I also have a preexisting health condition, so I'm putting myself at risk, but at the same time, I would rather have fun while I'm here than be shut in a house, especially in my 20's," Wake says. "It's not fun to sit in the house all of the time."