'The Bachelo' r's Caroline Lunny Says She Has Coronavirus After Being Criticized for Wearing Mask

Former Bachelor contestant Caroline Lunny says she has tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Lunny, who appeared on Arie Luyendyk Jr.’s season of the ABC reality series in 2018, confirmed the positive diagnosis on Wednesday, sharing an Instagram photo of herself outside in Holliston, Massachusetts, while wearing a mask and gloves.

“I have coronavirus,” Lunny, 29, wrote. “I don’t know why I feel embarrassed by this, like I feel like no one is ever going to want to hang out with me ever again.”

“But everyone was dming me attacking me for wearing this mask yesterday when healthcare workers need them,” she continued. “I’m so grateful for all the doctors, nurses, healthcare workers, delivery people, grocery store workers, and everyone else who’s on the front line making this world keep turning right now. But please stop dming me and attacking me and saying awful things to me for wearing a mask to protect my family. I’m allowed to wear a mask.”

The Massachusetts realtor went on to say, “I initially thought I was negative… but as many of you nurses pointed out the test was negative for influenza A, B, & RSV, not COVID-19.”

“I’m not a doctor and didn’t how to read the results,” Lunny said. “I didn’t know they even tested me for the regular flu. But a few days later I got a call from my doctor that I did in fact have covid.”

Lunny, who said she has a “mild case” of the respiratory illness, emphasized to her followers the importance of staying home amid the global outbreak.

“This is scary, this is dangerous,” she said. “My best friend just lost her grandmother to covid-19. I have a mild case, luckily… but it makes me think about how many other people may have it and not even know. How many have it and dismiss it as allergies or just a cold.”

“I have had worse flus than I have now,” Lunny added. “But just because it’s mild in one person, doesn’t mean it couldn’t kill the next. So stay home. Watch a show. Wash your hands. Just be smart. Do your part to flatten the curve!”

“I’m lonely AF. I GET IT! I haven’t seen another human up close in 14 days now. But this will eventually pass,” the former reality star said.

“We have to do our part to flatten the curve,” Lunny wrote. “The longer we don’t sit still, the longer this is going to be, and more people will die. We are not invincible. STAY HOME PLEASE! See you all in a month ♥️😷 stay healthy xoxo.”

Lunny is the second Bachelor star to reveal they tested positive for COVID-19, following season 23 lead Colton Underwood.

The former football player, 28, recently told PEOPLE that while he is recovering and is “doing okay,” it is “still hard to breathe.”

“I feel like I only have access to about 20 percent of my lungs,” Underwood said. “My breath is shorter, and I’ve had to train myself to talk differently with my breath. And I have to lie down and rest a lot.”

RELATED VIDEO: The Bachelor’s Colton Underwood Says He’s ‘Very Lucky and Fortunate’ Amid Coronavirus Diagnosis

Underwood has been under quarantine at the family home of girlfriend and winner of his season Cassie Randolph in Huntington Beach, California.

“I’m taking the home isolation very seriously,” he said. “I’m isolated to a room and Cassie brings me my food with gloves and a mask on.”

As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from CDC, WHO, and local public health departments. To help provide doctors and nurses on the front lines with life-saving medical resources, donate to Direct Relief here.