Kaitlyn Bristowe Reveals How Letting One Person In Resulted in Her Getting COVID-19

Bristowe has offered an update on her health after she revealed she and her boyfriend had tested positive for COVID-19.

Taking to her Instagram Story on Sunday, the "DWTS" alum announced that she's lost her taste and smell. Initially, Bristowe says she didn't have any symptoms. However, a few days later she started to experience some cold-like symptoms.

"So I've officially lost my taste and smell," Bristowe said. "I don't know why I think I know how Covid works because I don't."

"When I first got it I was like 'Okay, no no real symptoms,'" she continued. "And then a few days went by and I was like, 'Oh okay, I just feel like I have a cold.' And then another day goes by and I've lost my smell and my taste."

"It's just so unpredictable and I think that's the scariest part about Covid."

Bristowe went on to note that she can't taste the "the little things" she enjoys in the morning, including peppermint tea and peanut butter chocolate squares her neighbor had baked. However, the reality star said she's "trying to put things into perspective," referencing those affected by the tragic Nashville bombing last week.

"I'm trying to not have a little pity party over here," she noted.

As for her energy levels, Bristowe said she's "very tired," but has an "okay amount" of energy when she gets going. Fortunately, the former Bachelorette noted that she doesn't have any shortness of breath and overall just feels like she "has a bad cold."

"Jason is still sleeping right now. He was in and out of sleep all night, but I think his fever's down," Bristowe said of Tartick. "So you know ups and downs, highs and lows, peaks and valleys, whatcha gonna do?"

Meanwhile, a few hours later, Bristowe attempted to try a Jamaican holistic remedy in order to get her taste back. The remedy, which has gone viral on TikTok, includes charring an orange, peeling it, crushing it up with brown sugar and then eating it. While it has appeared to work for some TikTokers with Covid, it didn't work for Bristowe, who tried to eat a tamale after eating the charred orange.

"I can tell it's a little spicy, but I can't taste a thing," she said, before joking, "How am I going to live my life now knowing that TikTok is a lie!"

"Bachelorette" alum and reigning "Dancing with the Stars" champ has a cautionary tale about COVID-19 and just how easy it is to contract it for even the most careful of individuals.

Coming off of her big reality show win, Kaitlyn Bristowe is certainly no stranger to stringent safety protocols amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. "DWTS" was in virtual lockdown, with limited exposure even to families.

Those measures worked for the show, which managed to conduct its entire season without anyone contracting Covid. And Bristowe continued those careful measures at home, even apparently maintaining strict vigilance even as she and her boyfriend, "Bachelorette" alum Jason Tartick, were exposed and got it.

"Unfortunately, this is our Christmas card this year," she captioned a pic of her and Jason looking a little worn and tired. "We have Covid."

The reality star then went on to explain how this could happen, even as they were quarantining in anticipation of trying to see their families for the holidays.

"We thought we were making a responsible decision to have ONE person over, who had been tested daily for work," wrote Bristowe. "Negative tests 4 days in a row. The day we saw her, she became positive which we all found out the next day."

And that's how easy it is, and why it's so important to not take any chances even as vaccines are rolling out. Staying at home when possible, social distancing and wearing masks do make a difference.

Not adding anyone to your existing quarantine pod -- regardless of whether or not they're testing negative -- is also the safest way to minimize possible exposure. Many who carry it are asymptomatic, and even those tested daily can contract it between those tests ... and spread it.

"We just want to let everyone know that we thought we were being safe, but covid is bigger than us," Bristowe continued. She then shared that their thoughts are with everyone spending the holidays alone or away from family, as well as with healthcare workers who've been away from their families as they battle on the front lines of the pandemic.

Over on his own Instagram, Jason chimed in about their "responsible quarantine plan" prior to the holidays and how one slip-up cost them. "Shame on us, we didn’t stick to the plan," he said.

"You just can never be too cautious and careful," he continued. "There’s no outthinking this god awful virus, lesson learned." You can see his full comments below:

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