This morning, Apr. 6, Iza Calzado shared an update after recovering from COVID-19.
In a “Magandang Buhay” interview, Calzado talked about being sick for a week before getting confined to a hospital. At the time, she said she didn’t want to get tested for COVID-19 because of the limited testing kits; she also didn’t want people to think she got access because she’s an actress. Even her husband Ben Wintle, who was considered a person under monitoring (PUM), didn’t want to get tested because he wasn’t exhibiting any symptoms.
“Maraming mas nangangailang ng test kit…Ayoko na makigulo sa ospital,” (There are more people who need the test kit… I didn’t want to burden the hospital) said Calzado. When she got tested, she said she waited nine days for the result.
Calzado also found out that she had Acinetobacter baumannii, a bacterial infection that can cause pneumonia. Doctors told her that she may have had it either before contracting COVID-19 or the bacteria appeared alongside the coronavirus.
Calzado battled COVID-19, Acinetobacter baumannii and pneumonia for two weeks before getting discharged last Tuesday (Mar. 31).
“If you’re faced with a life and death situation, yung mga materyal na bagay, walang maitutulong,” (If you’re face with a life and death situation, all the material things won’t help you) she said.
Calzado admitted that she was privileged enough to be taken care of in a hospital, but she also expressed that more citizens should have access to proper healthcare. “‘Yun ‘yung ultimate goal: Na wala sanang Pilipino na hindi pwede makapunta ng ospital at kailangan isipin na may babayaran sila kaya ‘di sila makapunta ng ospital. I wish everyone had access to that type of healthcare.” (That’s the ultimate goal: I hope no Filipino has to feel that they can’t go to the hospital or have to worry about how much they have to pay. I wish everyone had access to that type of healthcare.)
In the interview, the actress also took the time to thank the health workers who took care of her, as well as the frontliners who are working hard during the enhanced community quarantine. She also apologized on Instagram for saying that the “COVID situation is actually the Universe’s way of making the world a better place moving forward.”
As of writing, there are a total of 3,246 COVID-19 cases in the Philippines. The Department of Health also announced that mass testing will begin on Apr. 14.
Photo courtesy of Iza Calzado’s Instagram account
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