FIJI’S first COVID-19 case Veilawa Soko says there was a time when he considered “jumping out a building” while in isolation at the Lautoka Hospital.
Opening up for the first time since March 19, 2020, the former Fiji Airways flight attendant said the time he spent in quarantine at the COVID isolation unit were the darkest days of his life.
“It was not so much a health issue for me,” he said.
“What affected me the most was what was in my head. I couldn’t eat during that first week. The medicine I received made me weak and there came a point when I couldn’t take it any more.”
Mr Soko said during his almost two months in isolation, he found support in the most unexpected of places.
“My mother is a prayer warrior. She kept reminding me that this was another battle that we could only overcome with God.
“We kept praying and I kept recalling Bible verses and that really kept me sane at a time where I was really affected mentally.
“We were scared during those first few days but the prayers of my family, friends and well-wishers kept our hopes high.”
He said the ridicule he was subjected to on social and mainstream media added to the mental challenges he was going through.
“I don’t blame the people. They were reacting to the information that they were fed with and a lot of the information that was being circulated about me was a lie. It’s been one year now and for me this is closure. I have moved on and I am in a better place.”
