BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO
A former covid-19 patient has expressed his experience with the disease as “unimaginable”.
In a radio talkback show yesterday on SIBC, Ambrose Malefoasi detailed his experience in contracting the virus.
Malefoasi was one of the 40- 50 Solomon Islands students recorded as covid-19 positive in Fiji.
“I am one of the students who contracted the virus,” he said.
Malefoasi said it was unfortunate because it affected their health and their studies.
“It was also fortunate that the virus confers immunity of the body in one sense.
“I suspected I got infected with the virus around the 3rd of July so, on the 17th of July 2021, I was swabbed and results returned by the Fiji Ministry of Health was covid-19 positive.
“When I contracted the virus, I had mild symptoms and it is very interesting that the mild is more like contracting malaria. I felt back ache, joint pain, my muscles getting weak. These experiences came in like waves,” he said.
Malefoasi stressed the symptoms come two days after the other, so, “it sort of aggravates until on the 17th of July I decided to get swabbed”.
He said the good thing is that it took him only three days to recover from the deadly virus.
“So, within three days after swabbing, I no longer feel any fever, headache, dizziness and all the COVID-19 symptoms,” Malefoasi said.
He said in it took about 10 days for a full recovery.
“I want to highlight one point here and that is I am encouraging all citizens to get vaccinated. I know people have been taking their first jabs and very close to getting their second jabs.
“So the symptoms and experiences are unimaginable. Take COVID-19 seriously. Let’s be serious about the government machineries. Let us be serious to look after our families and our nation.
“I still feel that there is opportunity for the virus to break through but let us be proactive as citizens in Solomon Islands who have concern for the people,” Malefoasi said.
Dr Elizabeth Rogers, meanwhile, during the talkback, urged Solomon Islands students who have covid-19 to stay in their homes.
“I have kept in touch with all the Solomon Islands students who contracted the virus monitor and help them get through the virus,” Rodgers said.
