Nurse returns to frontline after recovering from severe COVID-19

A nurse who just recovered from a severe case of COVID-19 is returning to the frontline of healthcare workers battling the pandemic.

According to Jun Veneracion's report on "24 Oras," Jessa Kris Diño tested positive for COVID-19 on August 28 and stayed for 14 days at St. Elizabeth Hospital in General Santos City, where she also works.

Her mom, grandmother, aunt, uncle, and cousin later tested positive for the virus, so she worried for them and felt guilty thinking that she brought the virus home with her.

"'Yun yung pinaka struggle doon [That is the biggest struggle]. You were thinking about your family, also you were thinking about your life. Kasi nahihirapan na talaga akong huminga noon [That time, I was really struggling to breathe]," she said.

Jessa has diabetes, but she didn't think at first that she would have trouble dealing with COVID-19, as she was already fully vaccinated.

On the fifth day, however, she started having difficulty breathing until she had to be placed in the Intensive Care Unit.

Meanwhile, her family only had mild cases, so it was a small comfort. When Jessa finally recovered, her friend, fellow nurse, and housemate Charisse Jamero took a video of her release from the hospital.

Charisse was the first to have COVID-19 between them, so she felt it was her fault that Jessa contracted the virus.

While there is no way of knowing who passed the virus to whom, Jessa said she is sure about thing: she will return to work and once again fulfill her oath.

"'Yung line sa work ko, kahit na po nag-severe na 'yung case ko, willing pa rin po ako to take risk and to give back sa ating community po na mag-take care pa rin po ng mga COVID-19 na patients," she said.

["In my line of work, even though I had a severe case I am still willing to take risks and to give back to our community and take care of COVID-19 patients."]

—MGP, GMA News