A year after battling the coronavirus, Richard Yap opened up about his COVID-19 journey for the first time in a vlog released on Sunday, April 18.
“This was at a time when COVID was just new, fairly new. This was just right after lockdown,” the 51-year old actor said, adding that he was traveling back and forth between Manila and Cebu last March 2020 and had no idea how he got infected.
Richard shared that his first symptoms were cough and fever. “Ibang klaseng fever…. When you wake up, pawis na pawis ka.… Itong klaseng cough na akala mo kapag umubo ka, it’s like all your guts are going to come out. Ganun ka-grabe. Parang luluwa na ang lamang loob mo pag-umubo ka,” he said. (It’s a different kind of fever. I woke up sweating, and the coughing was so intense, it was like all your guts were going to come out.)
He recalled that it took 4 to 5 days before he got the results from his swab tests and that he had to stay in the emergency room of the hospital for almost 3 days.
“My oxygen level was very low at that time, they took an X-ray of me…. The virus was affecting my lungs already,” he continued. It was determined that Richard already had pneumonia then, caused by COVID-19.
The actor also shared that his doctor was worried that he wasn’t going to make it since his condition was getting worse. “Buti na lang, sabi nga niya, I was healthy at that time. Hindi ako umabot na kailangan ko ma-intubate kasi pag na-intubate ka talaga, ang hirap ng buhay talaga,” he said. (Good thing that I was healthy at that time. I didn’t need to be intubated. Because it’s a lot harder when you’re intubated).
Richard shared that he had to stay at the hospital for 10 days and a total of 46 days of isolation before he was able to see his family again in person. “Buti na lang may cellphone.… That was the only thing keeping me sane. Ang hirap to be all by yourself, walang mag-aasikaso sa’yo, talagang ikaw lahat,” he said. (Good thing I had a cellphone. That was the only thing keeping me sane. It’s so hard to be all by yourself. No one’s there to take care of you, you have to do everything.)
“I just hope and pray that you don’t have to go through this kasi hindi biro talaga ang sakit na ito (this virus is not a joke),” he addressed his viewers.
Richard also left a message to anyone who’s going through COVID-19: “You have to be strong, not just in your health, but also mentally, too…. You have to fight.”
Richard rose to fame for his character “Sir Chief” in Be Careful With My Heart. He also starred in ABS-CBN teleseryes My Binondo Girl and Kadenang Ginto. In 2020, he transferred to GMA Network. – Rappler.com
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