Doctor who had COVID-19 took care of self to limit health workers' exposure to virus

A Filipino doctor who contracted the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) took care of herself to limit other health workers' exposure to the viral disease.

According to Cedric Castillo's 24 Oras report on Monday, Maria Angelica Soriano, a doctor at Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, was infected with COVID-19 due to her exposure to positive patients.

She warned Filipinos not to underestimate the viral infection as she recalled her personal experience with the disease.

“Uubo ka, ‘di ka pa tapos umubo, uubuhin ka ulit. Tapos, sobrang sakit ng katawan ko, ‘di ako makalakad. Sobrang sakit ng ulo ko talagang pumipintig siya. Hindi po ako makakain,” Soriano said.

“Mahihirapan kang huminga, talagang hahanapin mo, alam mo ‘yong pagpapray mo na ‘Lord, gusto ko pong huminga,’” she added.

With this, Soriano said she doesn't want others to experience what she had to go through.

When she was recovering but was still confined, Soriano thought of helping other doctors even in her own little ways.

“‘Yong kailangang i-facilitate, ako na po ‘yong nagbibigay din sa sarili ko and ako na rin ‘yong gumagalaw noong mga swero ko kasi kumbaga po, less po ‘yong exposure nila sa’kin and imbis po na palit sila nang palit ng PPE,” she said.

In mid-April, Soriano was sent off by the hospital staff with a warm farewell.

She said she will go back to the frontlines on Tuesday. —Ma. Angelica Garcia/LDF, GMA News