PLARIDEL

RESPONDENT 16

LIVED EXPERIENCES OF SURVIVORS OF COVID19 INFECTIONS

 INTERVIEW GUIDE QUESTIONS

Physical well-being to include the possibility of death

1. How did you feel when you found out you had COVID-19? Please tell us about your experiences in this
regard.

- We all know the disease as ‘severely terrifying’ because its nature. When our body isn’t ready for it,
we may die. So when I started to feel symptoms, I began to worry and so much so when I had the
results of our tests that we have it.

2. What were the most severe physical symptoms you experienced during COVID-19 infection?

- Cough, primarily then the throat itchiness.

3. During the time that you had Covid-19, have you ever been in a near death experience? Can you
describe what you felt?

- As most frontliners already received vaccines, the effect on me is mild. Just the throat irritation and
the cough bugged me much. Medyo mahina ang pakiramdam pero dahil siguro mild lang yung
tumama sa amin, di naman tumagal mag-recover.

4. Can you describe the changes in your routine when you were infected?

- Work related activities were all stopped as we have to undergo quarantine. Yun lang, yung activities
of daily living, nagagawa pa rin naman.

Mental and psychological distress and stress

1. How did covid-19 infection affect the way you think and deal with things?

- I, we actually, became warry of everything. Di maiiwasan, pag me umubo, sabihin natin, baka me
covid sya, ganon. Nakakasakit sa part ng iba pero yun yung truth at that time. As much as possible,
lalo na noong kasagsagan nung delta variant, di muna sana lalapit sa mga tao e. pero di naman pwede
dahil sa nature ng work. Yung practice sa trabaho, halos ganun din sa bahay. Dapat me distansya pa
rin.

2. Describe your psychological disturbances and perceptions at the time you were infected,
hospitalized/isolated or quarantined.

- As I already know what infected me was a lighter strain of the virus, di naman na ako nag-worry that
much actually. I felt it, kaya kung lampasan yun. Ang worry ko lang para sa mga anak naming, kina
mommy and daddy, baka mahawa sila kaya sinunod talaga namin yung isolation and quarantine
protocols.
3. For you which was harder upon having covid-19? Being physically ill or fighting over your mental
stress due to vague prognosis and uncertainty?

- Those were 2 different things actually. Siguro, kung di pa ako fully vaccinated at that time, mas
magwo-worry ako. Pero yun nga, as I’ve said, I felt na physically, mao-overcome ko yung sakit so
lessen na din yung stress.

4. What were your thoughts when you found out that some of your family members, close relatives or
someone in your community died due to COVID-19?

- Saddened by their passing and dagdag pa yung di man lang natin sila makikita, maihahatid sa tamang
paghihimlayan sa kanila. Our hands are tied, wala tayong magawa kundi unti-unting tanggapin yung
situation natin then continue living our lives in this times.

Social stigma and discrimination

1. What are your experiences upon interacting with people after being diagnosed with Covid-19?

- In our line of work, sa mga katrabaho, ok lang naman, kasi alam naman nilang once completed na
yung isolation/quarantine period mo, you’re good as healed or no covid na. Yun lang, kung sa
community, di mo maiiwasan ang mga tao na lumayo sayo kaso natatakot yang mga yan. Pero para
sakin, that’s better para at least naka-social distancing.

2. How did Covid-19 infection affect your social function?

- Social functions na face-to-face, alam naman natin na ipinagbawal lahat. So definitely, socialization
na pwede lang e puro on-line.

3. Do you feel that you are being discriminated by other people due to covid-19? How do you say so?

- Not at all. In work, we were all treated fairly. When asked to undergo quarantine, we obliged. When
it’s done, we were released then went back to usual daily routine.

4. Has someone blamed you for the virus due to your infection?

- No

Post- COVID- 19 outlook on health and vaccines

1. What are the things that helped you when you had the infection?

- Firstly, the vaccine. Dahil dun, nagkaroon ako ng antibodies. So when I contracted the virus, me
lumaban na sa kanya, di lang yung immune system ko. Second, me mga gamut na ibinigay sa amin
nung doctor naming to treat yung mga lumalabas na symptoms. And lastly, yung sa isip na din, na
kayang kayang lampasan yung sakit na yan.

2. Are there any significant changes in your overall health behavior after you recovered from Covid-19?

- Wala naman na except yung feeling na mahina pa rin kahit 2 weeks after na nung ma-infect pero
gradually, Nawala din naman.
3. After having been infected with Covid-19, were you still hesitant or become a pro-active toward Covid
vaccine?

- We, at the frontlines, we are pro -active towards the vaccines.

4. How does it feel recovering from a disease that doesn’t even have a cure or a vaccine?

- Wala naming ibang nagiging problem, sana lang in the soonest possible time, mawala na tuluyan
yang virus na yan.

5. Kahit anong vaccine pa yan kung nakakatulong yan sa pagprevent na magkaroon ng COVID, dapat ay
lahat talaga makapag vaccine na para maiwasan na ang pagdami ng mga cases.
RESPONDENT 17

1. When I found that I’m positive with covid 19, I was so scared that time, At that time there was no still
cure, i cried that time because I don’t know what to do. I was not expected that i will be contracting
Covid and I’m not prepared for it”

2. The most severe symptoms, first I lost my smell and I have severe diarrhea that made me weak and I
also experience slight fever, body ache and coughing but in terms or coughing, it’s not that much but
what makes me worried most is that I have comorbidity, which is hypertension

3. During that time, When I was in the hospital, I was so scared, I experienced on the second or third day
of my confinement at the hospital, I was thinking and so nervous, I cant sleep and I’m sweating, so when
my attending physician visits me, I told him what I felt so he gave me a medicine to calm me down.

4. When Im infected to covid there where lot of changes, Im easily get tired and it affects my breathing
and sometimes I had a brain fog.

5. I think both of them physically and mentally. Naapektuhan ako physically and mentally, kasi kung
yung mental wellbeing ko is hindi siya okay ganun din sa physical wellbeing ko, hindi din siya okay”

6. It was a very sad emotion and I felt very sad because one of my niece died because of Covid-19 and
we didn’t have the chance to see her or say good bye to her after the tragic moment, because or Covid-
19 cases at that time sobrang hirap kami that time and sobrang clueless ng mga tao sa pwedeng gawin,
lockdown din hospital, nakakalungkot talaga dahil sa covid 19, nawalan kami ng kamag anak

7. For me, I have two different experience, Syempre una malalaman nilang may Covid ka, You will
experience discrimination gaya ng mga nababasa sa news or napapanood, given naman yun na iwasan
or take precautionary measures kapag lumalapit or may kakilalang may covid 19, andyan yung
paguusapan ka nila, kakamustahin ka nila pero nararamdaman mong parang may iba sa pangangamusta
nila, hindi masyadong sincere parang gusto lang nila makibalita, may pakiramdam na may kasamang
discrimination, and yung other one naman is may mga tao naman na talagang nagpakita ng care sa amin
and nagsesend ng get well soon message and prayers, and help to surpass Covid-19”

8. Covid-19 also affected my social function, in a way that after kong madischarge sa hospital, I felt aloof
na makipagusap sa ibang tao kasi baka andun yung worry ko na baka idiscriminate nila ako, andun rin
yung worry ko na baka ayaw nila akong kausapin kasi i just got discharged from hospital and hindi pa
masyadong maalam yung mga tao sa covid-19”

9. In some ways, yes but wala namang nagsabi sakin that I have covid 19, I just felt thankful to the
people around me and to Lord”
10. Wala naman, despite the discrimination na sinabi ko kanina, good thing is walang nagblame sakin na
nakakuha ako ng Covid, and good thing is wala namang nagpositive sa kahit sino sa family and sa mga
nakasalamuha ko bago ko nalamang nagpositive ako, instead my family and friends really caring and
showed Help to me to recover by praying for me

11. Syempre I feel so grateful to Lord Jesus Christ, kasi hindi ko kakayanin yung 11 days plus quarantine
na 15 days and yung fact palang na malayo ka sa pamilya mo ng ganun katagal, hindi ko kakayanin yun,
kundi dahil sa tulong ng panginoong Diyos, kasi during my stay, ang talagang ginagawa lang namin is to
worship and listen to music na makakapag uplift sa spiritual aspect, talagang dininig nya yung panalangin
ko na malampasan ko yung Covid 19, dahil may comorbidity ako and also I thankful to my family na nag
aalalay sa anak ko when I was away and tinulungan nila kami and grabe din effort nila para tulungan
kami para makalabas ng hospital.

12. Sometimes, I easily got mad and na experience ko parin yung madalas mapagod, yung sinasabi na
post covid or long covid, na experience ko parin yung brain fog and shortness of breath, and mabilis
talaga mapagod. Unti unti naman, nakakabalik na ako sa every day na trabaho ko

13. No, because I acquired Covid-19, I have been vaccinated kasi nga kasali ako sa may comorbidities,
thankful ako kasi kung wala akong vaccine hindi ko alam kung nasurpass ko ba yung COVID-19 or hindi
ko alam kung mas malala pa yung naranasan ko, in fact after kong mahospital, I posted about my Covid
journey and inencourage ko silang magpabakuna, dahil yung bakuna, nakakasave siya ng lives. Lalo na
yung mga taong kelangan talaga nung bakuna.

14. Recovering from covid 19 was not easy, very new siya sakin kasi unlike may trangkaso ka after ilang
days makakabalik ka na sa trabaho mo and you can get flu vaccines noon, bago ka pa magkatrangkaso
pero nung time na nagkacovid ako, limited pa yung vaccines and then yung pagrecover ko, hindi siya
naging Madali kasi gradual siya, kase sa una nahirapan talaga ako at naging stressful siya sa akin dahil
may mga anak ako, syempre kailangan ko mag attend sa kanila and kailangan nila yung aruga ko pero
hindi ko agad mabigay yun at mahina parin ako after ko ma acquire yung sakit and may mga symtoms
parin and medications na tinake ko 3 months to 6 months and medyo pricey siya dahil naapektuhan
talaga yung immune system ko.

15. Any vaccines will do, kailangan magpabakuna lahat dahil nakakasave ng buhay yung vaccine talaga.
RESPONDENT 18

1. When i found that I have the symptoms of Covid 19, I was little bit nervous and do the first
precautions and move to cure my symptoms of having Covid. First and foremost, but I isolated myself
and take a lot of water and medicines for the colds and cough and I have rest, I need to rest myself and
be out alone and isolate myself inside the room.

2. The most severe symptoms I have felt that time is that I have a cold,, my body is aching, feeling dizzy
and somewhat feeling no appetite in eating, and I can’t sleep, and little bit worried.

3. No, during that time I didn’t experience near death experience, I didn’t reach that point because I had
did the first precautions and healing my own self and with the help of family.

4. The routine when I was infected is that I didn’t go to school, actually I’m teaching, I didn’t go to school
to teach, I isolated myself, I have a leave so that I will not be counterparting and communicating with
other people, so I just isolate myself for 1 week.

5. It affects me a lot because I was a little bit shock, up until now because my closest family has lost and
had been gone because of Covid 19, so it affects me a lot, even up to now and maybe it will take more
time to move on.

6. I feel so alone and somewhat lonely because I can’t talk with anybody and I can’t go out easily
because it is not easy to got out because you can infect other people.

7. It is both, mostly what I felt is that I felt so tired and my mental health is feeling tired also, because I
worried a lot, what will happen next, if you will be cured easily or no more.

8. It was so desperately in shock and it if it is a dream, it is a very bad dream that you cannot just easily
escape on it, it affects a lot, it’s not only me but the whole family. That covid 19 means that is a one of
my nightmare that I can’t get over up to now.

9. When I was affected by the symptoms of covid, I isolate myself and when I go back to school because
I’m teaching, some of people or some of colleagues dont want to go or eat with you together, or just
talking with you just the same when you dont have the symptoms but it’s just to move and still
communicate with them, it was been turned to normal again.

10. Yes, that was the time when I lost one of my love ones, i feel so down and sometimes the feeling was
discrimination in my part, afterall it was not our will that we will be having covid but some people or
mostly says or you feel it that they dont like mingling with you because you have a relative that
experience Covid.

11. The things that help me is the spiritual, emotional, and keep praying always so that will be strong
and you will move again as a normal person, but the fact that you have infected and you have a family
member that was lost, it’s still hard thing to accept but by the power of prayers and working, making
yourself busy, it helps a lot, good moral and support of the family.

12. It was a pro action to have and tell to have a vaccine so that you will not be infected.

13. During that time when there is no vaccine yet, the first thing you must do is be vigilant, you must
have the action to be far from the diseases that will come to you, in order to protect your body from the
virus, pwede kang lumayo sa bagay bagay na magdadala sayo ng virus.

14. Yung pag galing ko sa covid 19 is sobrang nahirapan ako dahil namatay yung daughter ko at kahit na
gumaling na ako, dala dala parin naming yung hirap dahil, dahil sa covid, nawala yung anak ko.

15. Sa lahat naman n vaccines, wala akong nabalitaan na nakapag cause ng harm, so any vaccine will
work sabayan nalang din ng precautions at prayers.
RESPONDENT 19

1.) Syempre, nalungkot at nabigla kasi hindi ko naman ineexpect na matatamaan ka ng virus kahit na
nasa loob ka lang ng bahay.

2.) Sakit ng katawan na nanghihina tapos hindi makahinga tsaka walang panlasa na kahit anong pilit
mong kumain para may ma circulate pa din yung katawan mo e, mawawalan ka ng gana kasi hindi mo
malasahan kung ano yung kinakain mo.

3.) Yes, kasi hindi ka makahinga ng maayos e tsaka inuubo ka pa ng malala and that time puro bad things
na yung naiisip ko na mamatay nalang ako kaysa mahirapan kaso naisip ko, kailangan ko labanan tong
virus na to dahil may pamilyang nag hihintay sakin sa labas.

4.) Hindi na ako makakilos ng maayos, yung mga dati kong ginagawa hindi ko na magawa ngayon kasi
syempre may iniinda kang sakit.

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1.) Syempre my virus ka, ang iniisip mo or iisipin mo is dapat kailangan mo gumaling kahit na hirap ka sa
situation mo dapat labanan talaga.

2.) Nung na isolate na ako syempre natatakot ako that time kasi iniisip ko na baka hindi ko kayanin or
baka mamatay ako ganun kasi syempre wala kang makakausap dun dahil mag isa mo lang wala kang pag
lilibangan

3.) Both physical and mentally dahil hindi ko na alam kung anong mararamdaman mo that time dahil
naglalaban yung mga thoughts mo sa utak mo and yung mga nalalaman mo pa na mga fake news kaya
mas lalong mag tritrigger yung anxiety mo
4.) Syempre nalungkot, kasi pamilya mo yun e relatives mo. Lahat naman tayo hindi ineexpect na
sobrang lala pala ng virus na kayang pumatay ng mga tao.

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1.) Expected ko naman na lalayo yung loob nila sakin. Like parang pinangdidirian kana nila tapos ayaw ka
nila lapitan dahil baka hawaan or mahawaan mo daw sila.

2.) Like i said earlier, ayaw ka nila lapitan pero may ibang mga tao din naman na naiintindihan ka sa
sitwasyon na napagdaanan mo pero hindi lahat pabor.

3.) Yes, kasi akala mo pag labas mo ng hospital and yung as in magaling kana tapos sasalubungin ka ng
friends mo or mga family members na kakamustahin ka sana pero hindi, yung sinabihan pa nila yung iba
na wag muna ako lapitan or iwasan muna ganun kahit na magaling naman na ako pero parang
pinapakita nila is parang ikaw yung pinag umpisahan ng virus.

4.) Wala naman kasi yun nga hindi naman natin expect na kahit na sa loob ka lang ng bahay, matataman
ka ng virus. Pero hindi ka blineblamed pero pinangdidirian ka.

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1.) Talagang panatilihin mong mag linis ng katawan at sa environment mo and also dapat mag hugas lagi
ng kamay para maiwasan ang mga transmissible diseases.

2.) Yes, syempre namayat ka and dapat sa mga changes na nangyare sayo kailangan mo siyang bawiin
ulit or ibalik para bumalik yung lakas mo after mong maka recover ng covid-19.

3.) Yes, kasi yun na yung sagot para matapos na tong virus na kinakaharap natin ngayon.

4.) First, mag thankyou kay Lord kasi humingi ka ng tulong sakanya e para gumaling ka at nag think
positive ka na kailangan mong gumaling dahil may pamilyang nag hihintay sayo.

5) Ako, astrazenica ako pero feel ko kahit anong vaccine naman is pwede basta makumpleto mo
hanggang booster.
RESPONDENT 20

1. Nung nalaman kong may covid ako, nagulat ako kasi hindi talaga ako lumalabas ng bahay. Housewife
ako at nag aalaga lang ng mga anak ko, lagi lang ako nasa bahay pero namalengke ako one time at doon
nako naka acquire ng covid. Nalungkot rin dahil baka mahawaan ko yung mga anak ko.

2. Naranasan ko nun na hirap ako makagalaw dahil may lagnat at sipon ako, may mga anak rin kasi
akong inaalagaan kaya nahirapan akong kumilos, wala na kasing mag aalaga sakanila bukod sakin dahil
nasa abroad yung asawa ko. Nagkasipon at lagnat ako habang tumagal nagkaubo na rin. Malalang ubo
na may halong plema.

3. Wala naman akong experience na parang pakiramdam ko mamatay na pero parang pakiramdam ko
noong time na yun, may bumubulong sakin na sumuko na kasi sobrang gulo ng isip ko dahil mahirap mag
isa sa bahay tapos may anak na kasama

4. That time na naka quarantined ako, ang ginagawa ko lang lagi pag gumising ako mag exercise na ako
para kahit paano malibang ako, na hindi ko naman talaga gaanong ginagawa dati. Tapos maglalakad
lakad ako sa bahay para makapag isip ng maayos.

5. Sobra akong nagulat kasi hanggang ngayon, Natatakot padin ako lumabas labas kapag may nalalaman
akong bagong case ng covid kahit hindi naman malapit dito sa lugar namin.

6. Nung time na yun, lagi kong kausap sa videocall yung asawa ko sa abroad, naawa siya samin dahil
ganun yung sitwasyon ko pero nagdadasal nalang kami na sana masurpass namin yung challenge na yun
sa buhay namin.

7. Pareho akong nahirapan sa both aspects kasi sa mentally pag hindi ako okay, naapektuhan rin yung
physical aspect ko. natutulala ako minsan kaya hindi nako nakakagawa ng mga gawaing bahay, tapos
sinisipon at inuubo pa, kaya naiirita ako ng mabilis sa mga anak ko.

8. Gaya nga ng sabi ko, wala akong idea or hindi ko inexpect na magkakacovid talaga ako, akala ko
makakaligtas ako dahil hindi ako lumalabas, pero dahil virus nga yan, at hindi naman nakikita, tinanggap
ko nalang din na kailangan ko nalang magpagaling agad para sa mga anak ko.

9. Nung time na nagkacovid ako, kakaunting tao lang naman nakakaalam, halos mga pamilya ko lang
nakakaalam. Kaya hindi ako nahirapan sa kung ano mga sasabihin ng iba dahil naka quarantined naman
din kami.

10. Nagkaroon ako ng takot that time na baka mandiri or lumayo sila sakin pero good thing na hindi
naman ako nilayuan or walang stigma towards my family, instead nagpapadala pa sila ng mga pagkain
samin nafeel talaga namin yung care nila sa family ko.

11. Sobrang natulungan ako ng pag eexercise, dahil hindi ko talaga ginagawa yun dati pa. Feeling ko
nakatulong yun dahil lumakas lalo yung katawan ko tsaka nagttake rin ako ng vitamins at feeling ko
nakadagdag yun sa pagpapalakas sakin despite na may symptoms ako.
12. Inaadvice kong magpavaccine lahat ng mga tao lalo na yung mga may comorbidities, mahirap kasi
kung walang vaccine tapos lagi pang lumalabas yung mga mother, para mamalengke ofcourse, gaya ko.

13. Navaccinean nako nung time na nagkacovid ako, pero 1st dose palang. Feel ko naman nakatulong
yung vaccine dahil na survive ko ang covid-19 na hindi ako nag 50/50 gaya ng iba na naghingalo talaga
dahil sa mga symptoms nila.

14. Yung pagkaheal ko sa Covid, sobrang laking pasasalamat ko dahil kahit mag isa ko at mga anak ko
lang kasama ko sa quarantined, nakaya kong isurpass yun ng 2 weeks. Hindi kasi kagaya ng ibang sakit na
pwede ka parin lumabas kahit na may sakit ka, etong covid kasi may stigma agad kapag nalamang
positive ka. So, yung time na gumaling na ako, para akong nakalaya sa masalimuot na panaginip. Kasi
hindi talaga biro magkacovid, akala lang ng iba makakapag pahinga ka dahil quarantined nga, pero sa
totoo lang mahirap lalo pag wala kang katuwang.

15. Para sakin, kung anong vaccine yung mas pinapaniwalaan mo at kung sa anong gusto mo at alam
mong makakatulong sayo, pero kahit na anong vaccine naman na available pwede na basta makatulong
sa immunity mo. Okay na yun. Basta dapat lahat ay makapag vaccine para na din, mabawasan yung mga
symptoms na meron ka.