WELCOME BACK, COTTER: A Herald reporter’s exit from quarantine.

Nearly two weeks ago, I began to have moderate coronavirus-like symptoms. Chest tightness and aches, some shortness of breath, fatigue and dehydration. But I didn’t have the very key symptoms — any significant cough or a fever.

Doctors recommend that if you aren’t very sick and aren’t having breathing issues, then just stay home, call your provider and gut it out. So a week ago Monday, I called a telehealth service, and I spoke with a doctor who became very quickly worked up about the possibility that I could be having a heart attack, and said I should go to the the emergency room immediately.

I thought that was unlikely, as I’m 28 and in otherwise generally good health, but I headed to Massachusetts General Hospital anyway. Fortunately, I was not having a heart attack, the MGH doctors concluded; the chest problem must be viral, they said after an EKG, blood work and a chest X-ray — but they couldn’t test me for coronavirus because I didn’t have enough of the symptoms to meet their protocols at a time when tests are being rationed. The staff, who were great, gave me a social-distancing version of a pat on the back and told me to told me to manage my symptoms with over-the-counter drugs. They said to come back if things took a turn.

Knock on wood, they haven’t, and I’m on the road to recovery, feeling pretty good.

At this point, I hope this actually is COVID-19, because then I probably won’t get it again — so I’d be able to worry much less about transmitting it to my parents, or being felled by some fresh produce at the grocery store that the last person sneezed on.

The doctors say it’s too early to know much about immunity, but it would be a surprise if people who’d had the disease could get it again soon. That would be great news for those of us who have it — especially if we actually know if we had it.

Well, the FDA has authorized a two-minute antibody test for coronavirus, so soon you will.