Dela Rosa now Covid-free; urges Filipinos to double efforts in following health protocols especially during Christmas Season

SENATOR Ronald 'Bato' Dela Rosa reiterated the need to exert extra effort in following the health protocols being implemented by the government to ensure the safety of everyone from the coronavirus disease 2019 or the dreaded Covid-19.

In his first live interview following his discharge from the hospital due to Covid19, Dela Rosa shared his fight against the contagious disease and the difficulty of fighting an unseen enemy.

"In the sense na bago ito, wala pa talagang fixed na gamot para dito, ay kinabahan talaga ako dahil ayun nga, mabuti yung mga terorista tinatamaan ng bala, pero itong Covid hindi mo ito matamaan. Kahit anong baril mo dito, hindi mo ito nakikita, hindi mo ito tinatamaan so wala kang kalaban laban dito. You are at the mercy that virus na 'yan, pero sabi ko laban lang because I have to be strong dahil yung anak ko rin is apektado. Dasal lang talaga... it really helped, yung pinaubaya mo na kay Lord yung outcome ng sitwasyon mo," Dela Rosa said during DZMM TeleRadyo's Kwentuhang Lokal last Wednesday, December 9.

Dela Rosa urged Filipinos to take utmost care and always comply with the minimum health standards and safety protocols being implemented by the COVID-19 Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID).

"Well 'yun talaga, utmost care, utmost pag-iingat talaga ang gawin natin sa sarili natin. Dahil ako kahit sabihin mo na nagka-Covid ako, pagdating sa health protocols nag-iingat din ako talaga. Hindi ako lumalabas ng walang face mask at walang face shield. Di bale nang sabihin nila na anti-social ako dahil hindi nagpapalapit, may pagka-salto, sa bisaya pa sa amin 'salto' ako, pero tinamaan pa rin," Dela Rosa said.

"So kaya kahit anong ingat mo diyan, may tsansa pa rin talagang tatamaan ka, kaya doblehin mo pa kung anong ingat mo," he added.

The Senator also advised those who will be found positive for the virus to immediately inform authorities and the people that they had close contact with for them to prepare and undergo proper quarantine measures.

"Noong nag-positive ako, nag-post agad ako sa aking Facebook (account) for disclosure purposes dahil kawawa naman yung ibang naka close contact natin na hindi makapag-prepare, 'di ba? Hindi makapag handa. Sinabi ko kaagad na please follow the health protocols kasi nag-positive ako," Dela Rosa noted.

When asked on his thoughts about the Department of Interior and Local Government's proposal to ban Christmas parties for this year as well as the department's call to the public to celebrate only with immediate families this Christmas, Dela Rosa expressed full support to avoid the further spread of the virus.

"Very supportive ako diyan, para naman sa ating lahat 'yan. Ano ba yang isang pasko na magdaan na hindi tayo maka-maximize ng isang social gathering, kung safe naman tayong lahat, 'di ba? Next Christmas na lang, i-times two natin yung celebration next year, pagka-vaccinated na tayong lahat," Dela Rosa, who chairs the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, explained.

Dela Rosa recently announced that he tested negative for Covid19 on Friday, December 11, 21 days after his initial results showed that he contracted the virus. He was hospitalized on November 23 for medical monitoring after experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, including fever, cough and cold, and was discharged on December 4.

Dela Rosa also expressed willingness to donate his convalescent plasma to help other patients in their fight with Covid19. "I can donate my convalescent plasma," Dela Rosa said.

Dela Rosa tested positive for coronavirus infection on November 21, and was the fifth senator to be infected with Covid19.