March 29, 2024

The Department of Health has recorded over a million people who were infected with the Covid-19 since the first detected case in March 2020, yet to this day, many still do not believe that the virus exists or vaccines can save lives.
But two Covid-19 survivors have shared their experience to prove that Covid-19 exists and to convince people to be vaccinated as a way to fight the virus that causes the Covid-19.
In her mid-30s and without comorbidities, Joannette Paramio had her first bout of the Covid-19 in January this year while attending to her mother who was then admitted in a private hospital last week of December 2020 due to a lingering illness and due to Covid-19.
With bills piling up, her family decided to transfer their mother to a government hospital where she was immediately wheeled to the intensive care unit and intubated.
As watchers are barred from watching over patients in the ICU, Joannette was allowed to go home and was advised to isolate as she was a direct contact of a Covid-19 patient.
While on isolation, she recalls feeling all symptoms of the infection such as fever, cough, colds, vomiting, diarrhea, chest pain, and shortness of breath but ignored the signs thinking these were only because of fatigue. It was when she already had difficulty breathing that she asked a friend to call an ambulance where paramedics can assist her.
A swab sample was immediately taken and after several days, the results showed that she was positive for Covid-19.
Joannette suspects she got infected as she had not been religiously wearing her mask while inside the hospital room or not sanitizing after attending to her mother’s personal needs.
She added the Covid-19 took a toll not only on her physical well-being but also on her mental health for while she was on isolation, doctors who were attending to her mother had to consult her if she will proceed with the signing of a “do not resuscitate” form.
“My mother was in the ICU intubated and unconscious and while I was on hospital isolation, the doctors kept calling me about signing a DNR. My first night while on isolation was the most terrifying experience I ever had,” Joannette said recalling the mental and emotional anguish she went through worrying about her own situation, her mother’s dire condition, and her father who might also be worrying about two members of his family currently confined in a hospital.
Her mother did not recover from the infection, while it took a total of 20 days for Joannette to be finally declared cured of the Covid-19.
Lawyer Isagani Liporada is also proof that the Covid-19 is real.
A known health-buff, Isagani and other members of his family got infected shortly after a close family member succumbed to the disease.
He was, however, the only one who was isolated at the Sto. Niño isolation center. It was while he was on isolation that he experienced difficulty in breathing, his oxygen level slowly dropped, and his heart rate escalated.
“I was the only one who was severe among family members na nag-positive din. It felt like I was breathing through straw. Parang may nakadagan sa dibdib ko,” Liporada said in a testimonial.
He said he and the thousand others who survived or died of the infection are enough proof that Covid-19 is real.
“Covid-19 is not a lie,” Isagani said, adding that despite recovering, many survivors like him experienced post-Covid symptoms such as brain fog, sleeping problems, chest pains, exhaustion, among others.
Joannette also said that following her first bout with the Covid-19, she also experienced brain fog, fatigue, and shortness of breath.
City Epidemiologist Donnabel Panes said symptoms called “long-haul Covid” or “post-acute Covid,” are also puzzling scientists all over the world. It affects both symptomatic and asymptomatic.
While scientists are still studying why survivors have reported of the long-term effects of the disease, Panes said vaccination can help lessen the symptoms of long-haul Covid.
Other long-haul symptoms are chronic cough, chest pain, headaches, dizziness, mood swings, and tingling sensations.
Joannette and Isagani also attest that vaccines work.
For Joannette who had her second bout of the Covid-19 last August, she would have experienced worse than her first bout had she not been vaccinated.
Apart from a mild headache, Joannette said she did not have the same symptoms she experienced when she first had Covid-19.
“I truly believe that if I wasn’t vaccinated I would be in the hospital right now struggling to breathe,” Joannette told the Courier in an online interview.
“Get vaccinated because one day it might actually save your life. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Covid does not discriminate. Anyone can get infected regardless of age, gender, and color of skin. Do not be too concerned about the brand of vaccine. The best vaccine is whatever is available. Ang importante protected tayo from severe symptoms and even death.”
Joannette was fully vaccinated of the Sinovac-Coronavac last July 12.
Isagani also said his wife who was fully vaccinated with Sinovac-Coronavac prior to her infection hardly felt any symptoms and was even able to attend to their children who got infected.
“Vaccines work at huwag niyo nang hintayin ‘yung preferred brand ninyo. Baka sa kakahintay niyo, doon pa kayo tamaan,” said Isagani, as he appealed to those who continue to doubt the benefits of what vaccination could do. – Rimaliza A. Opiña