Alyssa Milano Says COVID-19 Still Impacts ‘Every Part of Her Health’ 14 Months After Getting Sick
Fourteen months after getting COVID, Alyssa Milano says she continues to experience symptoms as a “long-hauler.”
She deals with shortness of breath, heart palpitations, brain fog, and fatigue.
“I’ve kind of just almost surrendered to the idea that this might be how I feel now for the rest of my life,” she said.
Fourteen months after coming down with COVID-19, Alyssa Milano continues to struggle with lingering symptoms. In October of last year, she revealed that she’s a COVID “long-hauler” on The Dr. Oz Show, and according to a new interview with People, not much has changed since then.
The Charmed star said she she’s still experiencing shortness of breath, heart palpitations, brain fog, exhaustion, and “aches and pains that feel like they’re on a skeletal level.” And at this point, she’s beginning to accept that this could be her new normal.
“I’m done with fighting it, so I’ve kind of just almost surrendered to the idea that this might be how I feel now for the rest of my life,” she told People. “But I try to rest more and drink lots of water and take my supplements and do the best that I can.”
The actress is newly vaccinated, and while some long-haulers have reported feeling better after receiving the first dose, per The New York Times, Milano noticed little change. “I do think that there was some improvement, although it’s not that anything was completely alleviated,” she said. “It just felt like less of everything.” Still, she urged those who haven’t been vaccinated to get the shot if they can.
“I just got my second shot on Thursday, and I had some chills and aches and pains, but it’s a lot less than actually suffering from COVID,” she explained. “The vaccine is completely safe for people who have had COVID and I think it’s really important that everyone, including those who have had COVID, get vaccinated.”
Previously on Dr. Oz, she explained her “rollercoaster” experience with the illness. Her first symptom in March 2020 included stomach issues, headaches, and overwhelming fatigue, lasting for about three days. “My first test came back negative,” she revealed. “Two days after that first test, [the virus] settled in my lungs, and that’s when it got really scary.”
Then came the fever and shortness of breath. “I had a high fever, a low-grade temperature. It felt like I had a corset and I had an elephant sitting on my chest,” she said. “I thought of it as a respiratory illness before, and I think because it also goes into your vascular system, it affects every aspect of your body, not just your lungs.”
After a few days of resting at home, Milano went back for another test, which also came back negative. Three and a half months after her acute illness, Milano said she finally tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies.
The mom of two said the coronavirus has “rocked her world,” especially because she also has anxiety disorder. “This virus is like nothing I’ve ever experienced in my life and impacted every part of my health, from my mental health to my physical health,” she told People.
Now, she’s hoping to use her experience to raise awareness about the severity of the pandemic, which is why she partnered with the Creative Coalition to produce a vaccination PSA.
“I don’t see how there’s going to be an end to this if we don’t get people vaccinated—and that’s not only the people in our country but people throughout the world,” she told People. “If I can take my experience from having COVID and be able to turn it around and help people, I’m all for it.”
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