Comedians Wally Bayola, Allan K open up about experience with COVID-19

Comedian Allan K opened up about getting diagnosed with COVID-19 – an experience that landed him in a Pasig hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for 3 days.

Allan detailed his experience on Eat Bulaga’s Bawal Judgmental segement on Saturday, December 12, where COVID-19 survivors were asked to participate.

In the episode, Allan shared that he started getting flu symptoms, and took medicine for it, but his 38-degree temperature did not get lower no matter how much medicine he took, and even after he fell asleep.

He said that his temperature continued to rise, and that he lost his sense of taste and smell.

At first he didn’t believe he could get the virus, because he said he was very careful every time he went out of the house.

Allan got emotional when he shared that his illness came after what has been a particularly challenging year from him. Earlier in the year, he lost his youngest brother, and the death of his sister followed 2 months after.

“Namatay silang pareho na nasa pandemic tayo so sinunog sila na hindi ko sila nakita (They both died in a pandemic, so they were cremated without me being able to see them),” Allan said.

After getting swabbed and testing positive for COVID-19, he said that got him scared because he was diabetic and an older patient.

“Ayon kasi sa mga balita, pag ganun yung case mo, malamang sa mamaalam ka na (according to the news, if that’s the case, you’re likely to not survive),” he said.

“Parang binagsakan ako ng mundo, parang ano ba? Ano ba to, hindi pa tapos yung taon no? (It’s like the world came crashing down on me. What is this? Is this year not over yet?)”

He then shared that he was brought to the hospital, and transferred on a stretcher to the emergency room. While he waited there, behind a plastic curtain, he waited for people to say that he was going to die, but none of them did.

Allan shared that through his ordeal, he held on to his favorite Bible verse, Exodus 15:26, that reads “I am the god that healeth thee.”

The comedian shared that he was never intubated, but that his case was severe and required him to be confined to the ICU for 3 days and 3 nights.

His Eat Bulaga co-host then revealed that when the doctors first admitted Allan, they said “he doesn’t look good.”

“Ganung ka-seryoso yung kaso ni Allan eh (that’s how serious Allan’s case was),” Vic said.

“Allan K, fighter ka (you’re a fighter),” he said.

Wally’s experience

In the same episode, fellow comedian Wally Bayola also talked about being hospitalized for COVID-19, saying that he was careless at first, forgetting to take vitamins for a week and not wearing face masks and face shields.

“Masyado ako naging paniwalain sa mga nakikita ko sa social media na ah wala namang COVID. Ano lang yan, hindi naman totoong may COVID… So parang nadala ako, hindi ako nagmamask. Parang napagod na ako magmask, napagod na ako ng face shield (I believed what I saw on social media that COVID doesn’t exist. So I got carried away. I didn’t wear masks. I got tired of wearing masks and face shields),” he said, sharing that he would even take off his mask and come in close contact with people who asked to take photos with him.

When he lost his voice during a Saturday taping with Paolo Ballesteros, Paolo told him to stay away from him because he might have COVID.

Wally then decided to take a test on the following Monday, hoping to prove Paolo wrong, but the result turned out to be positive. He fainted after receiving the result, then went home.

Eventually, he went to the hospital for confinement as his oxygen levels dipped. He shared that he experienced an unexpected symptom of COVID: non-stop hiccups.

He described the loneliness of being confined in the hospital, where there was no mobile signal. He shared that he began saying prayers in thanks for his life.

Even Wally turned emotional as he shared that he thought of his mother, who might have been left without a caretaker.

He was able to speak to his mother only after he left the hospital, 5 days after he was first admitted.

After he was speaking to his mom, he found the will to fight his illness and live a healthier life.

He urged people to stay vigilant against the virus.

“Wag niyo pong ilagay sa isip ninyo na walang pandemya. Meron po. Kasi ako po naranasan ko po. Naramdaman ko at nag-suffer po ako. Meron pong COVID virus. Wag tayong maging relaxed. Wag nating isipin na gawa gawa lang yan (Don’t think that there is no longer a pandemic. There is one. I experienced this. I felt it and suffered from it. There is still the COVID virus. Let’s not be relaxed. Let’s not think that this is all made up),” he said.

“Nagpabaya ako so wag po kayo magpabaya, mag-ingat po palagi, magvitamins and magpalakas po ng katawan (I let go, so don’t let go, always be careful, drink your vitamins, and keep your body strong).” – Rappler.com