Nurse who survived COVID-19: Symptoms came fast, disabled sense of smell, taste

Getting infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can be so sudden, and would mean losing your sense of smell and taste for some time, a nurse who survived the coronavirus disease said Thursday.

Kai Soriano, who has since donated plasma of her blood to aid in treating other COVID-19 patients, shared what surprised her was the rush of symptoms, more than getting the infection.

“Tingin ko po, March 13 ako na-expose. Biglaan po eh. March 14, okay pa po ako, tapos March 15, paggising ko, nagtatae na po ako, nilalagnat na ako. Tapos mga isang linggo po na nawala po ang pang amoy at panlasa ko. Sintomas na po iyon na carrier ka ng coronavirus,” Soriano said in an interview over Dobol B sa News TV.

“Nung time po na iyon, kulang po talaga ang PPE (personal protective equipment) sa ospital. Pag may kailangan po kaming i-intubate [na pasyente], natatalsikan po kami ng laway,” she added.

Soriano then said she had to go into home quarantine and stayed in her room for 14 days.

“Nasa kwarto lang po ako. Kapag lalabas po ako para maligo at gumamit ng banyo, mga 30 minutes po bago pumasok ‘yung iba ko pong kasama sa bahay. Nililinis ko po muna lahat ng mahawakan at madaanan ko. Mindful po ako,” she said.

Fortunately, Soriano has since recovered and is back to work and that the hospital already has enough PPEs, thanks to generous donors.

Soriano then lamented that not everything went back to how it used to be as she and her colleagues experienced discrimination. She said a lot of laundry shops turned them away.

“Usap-usapan po kami eh, andiyan ‘yung pinagsasarhan ka ng laundry shops. Eh hindi naman kami puwede maglaba sa quarters ng ospital. Hindi naman po kumakapit ang COVID-19 sa damit eh, at naka-PPE naman po kami,” Soriano said.

“Dumidiskarte na lang po kami. Kasi po siyempre, minsan, gusto mo magpalaundry na lang kasi pagod ka na sa trabaho,” she added.

Soriano, however, is soldiering on.

“Lilipas rin ang COVID-19, at lilipas rin ang diskriminasyon,” she said.

The Philippines has recorded 5,453 COVID-19 cases, so far. Of this number, 349 have died  while 353 others recovered.

Luzon has been under enhanced community quarantine since March 16, a measure which banned mass transport, closed non-essential businesses, and prohibited mass gathering to prevent COVID-19 transmission.—AOL, GMA News