“Friends disappeared,” Top TV journalist opens up on battling stigma soon after contracting COVID-19

The battle with COVID-19 is gut-wrenching, a pain you could never wish your enemy but the pain that comes with the stigma is at a totally different level.

The media industry has neither been spared by the pandemic that continues to ravage through countries, homes, work places and even in schools, regardless of age, gender or status.

Also read: “I lost my job, got an accident and contracted COVID-19,” Mwanaisha Chidzuga opens up

Fortunately, even though several top Kenyan journalists became victims of the novel virus, they came out victorious.

Popular KBC news anchor, Purity Museo has come out to tell her story, just days after her test results came back negative.

Also read: Sassy TV journalist tests positive for Coronavirus

Battle with stigmatization and COVID-19

“On October 21, 2020, at around 7:30 pm, I received an email: FINAL LAB REPORT FOR PURITY MUSEO. I was POSITIVE,” she recalls.

It was not the test results or the chest pains that hurt as bad, but the stigma, for her.

“I felt chills down my spine. will I die? The stigma was more painful than the chest pains I experienced 2 days after testing positive,” Purity explains.

Also read: Ben Kitili and wife celebrate 2 years’ wedding anniversary in quarantine after COVID-19 infection

“When I tested positive for COVID-19 in October, I could not sleep for two days. I was scared,” the health journalist admits.

“My symptoms included severe headache, fever, body pains, loss of smell. Two days later, I began to diarrhea, had back pains and a rash on my face,” Purity reveals.

This saw her go into isolation for a good one month.

Time away from her loved ones, colleagues and even friends who were now living in fear that they might have contracted the virus as well.

“But stigma! I was called and asked ‘I hope you did not infect me with the virus!’ Friends disappeared,” she admits.

Fortunately, it is over.

“Thank you for your prayers and encouragement. I am finally free from the virus. Feels like a dream after a month of isolation. Please trust me, COVID-19 is real,” she wraps up.

Meanwhile, happy birthday to the beauty!