Pia Wurtzbach stresses importance of vaccine, booster after bout with COVID-19

Pia Wurtzbach (Image: Instagram/@piawurtzbach)

Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach has urged the public to get their primary and booster shots against the coronavirus amid a surge in COVID-19 cases in the country.

The beauty queen stressed the importance of vaccinations as she gave an update on her health via her Instagram Story yesterday, Jan. 13. She said that though she is now COVID-19 negative, she still has to manage some symptoms of the disease.

“Now I know some of you are thinking… ‘E kahit pala vaccinated ka, magkakasakit ka pa rin e (Even if you’re vaccinated, you’ll still get sick),'” she said, noting that it seems to be the “wrong” way to look at the vaccine.

“Paano na lang kung hindi ako nagpa-vaccine?” she asked. “Kung ngayon nga na vaccinated ako, walang comorbidity [at] healthy pero tinamaan ako ng ganito kalala, paano pa kaya kung pinili kong hindi magpavaccine? Siguro mas malala na ‘yung kalagayan ko.”

(What if I did not get vaccinated? Even if I have already been vaccinated, with no comorbidity and healthy but yet I was still hit this hard, what would it be like if I had chosen to not get vaccinated? Maybe my condition would be worse.)

Wurtzbach reminded the public that COVID-19 can affect anyone regardless of age, and people should not risk their lives amid the pandemic.

“If you’re reading this and you haven’t yet, please don’t delay. Walang pinipiling tao o edad ang [COVID-19]. ‘Wag n’yo nang i-risk na ‘di naman malala yan,'” she told the public. (COVID-19 does not pick any specific person or age. Don’t risk getting it by saying, “It’s not that bad.”)

Wurtzbach added that although it is still possible for a vaccinated individual to get sick, the shots help a person have a “better chance” of fighting the coronavirus.

“Even with the vaccine you can still get [COVID-19], but you have a better chance of fighting it,” she pointed out. “[Makakatulong] ka pa sa mga frontliner [na] mabawasan ‘yung mga nao-ospital. Madalas sa fatalities ay galing sa mga hindi nagpa-bakuna. Magpa-vaccine po tayo at magpa-booster.”

(You will also help frontliners reduce the number of hospitalizations. Fatalities often come from the ranks of those who have not been vaccinated. Let’s get our vaccines and boosters.)

Image: Instagram/@piawurtzbach

Wurtzbach revealed last Jan. 7 that she had tested positive for COVID-19 while staying with her family in the United Kingdom. She has since recovered from the disease. The beauty queen flew to the UK for Christmas and opted not to stay in a hotel so as not to “waste” bonding time with her loved ones.

The Philippines hit record-high COVID-19 cases over the past few days. The Department of Health reported 34,021 new infections yesterday, Jan. 13, further raising active cases in the country to 237,387.  /ra

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