The Road To Recovery

‘For the most part, I was unconscious. But I was in so much pain whenever I woke up. I was constantly gagging on my own saliva and phlegm. But I told God I had no plans of dying. My family needs me.

- Jules Vivas

Four months have passed since the first discovery of the novel coronavirus, yet no specific treatment for Covid-19 has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. The World Health Organization (WHO) is still coordinating efforts to develop vaccines and medicines to prevent and treat the deadly disease. But with appropriate care, many do recover from COVID-19 and four weeks since the imposition of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), more and more of them are emerging from the ordeal with inspiring tales of recovery and homecoming.

It can take several weeks to fully recover from illness, Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organization's Health Emergencies Programme, explained during a briefing in Geneva in early March. He said that it would take up to six weeks to recover from Covid-19, even months for the severe cases.

In the Philippines, the Department of Health (DOH) data shows that recovered cases take an average of three weeks to be completely rid of the virus.

A person may be infected with the virus for one to 14 days before developing symptoms such as fever, tiredness, and dry cough. About 80 percent recover from the disease without needing special treatment.