Ivana Alawi, family members test positive for COVID-19; urges public to follow laws, be responsible citizens
Actress-vlogger Ivana Alawi announced that she, along with her mother and brother, tested positive for COVID-19.
In her Jan. 15 vlog titled "OUR COVID JOURNEY!," Alawi did away with her usual bubbly introductions. She welcomed her viewers in a lethargic voice, as she noticeably looks under the weather.
"Siguro masasabi niyo na sa title at sa itsura ko, I’m not in a good position," Alawi said. "Wala ako sa lugar na kaya kong magpasaya ngayon kasi ang bigat-bigat ng pinagdadaanan ko ngayon sa buhay,”
Alawi noted how she's strictly observing minimum health protocols in the last two years. She said she's taking RT-PCR tests thrice a day when having a shoot, which have always come out negative.
Despite her not going out when unnecessary, despite her entire family being already fully vaccinated against COVID-19, Alawi said she's surprised that they still contracted the virus.
"Talagang tinry ko iwasan, pero di ko maiwasan," she said. "Pero wala naman dapat i-blame."
In the vlog, Alawi revealed that her mother, Fatima Marbella, was the first to test positive among them.
"Simula no'ng time na feeling niya may lagnat na siya, ubo, masakit ang ulo," she said, "nag-isolate na siya at lagi siyang naka-mask, kahit nasaan siya...sa loob ng bahay.
Alawi said she even tried to console her mother, that she may just be overthinking as her symptoms could pass for that of influenza's.
"Si mama, sobrang ingat no'n. Naka-tatlong (RT-PCR) siya bago niya nalaman. Iyong first two, negative," she said.
But an antigen test confirmed the bad news. Everybody immediately then took RT-PCR tests. Alawi's mother, she said, subsequently underwent quarantine in their other house.
"Parang kay mama iyong pinakamalala kasi hirap na hirap siyang huminga," she recalled, taking a pause as she tries to prevent her tears from welling up.
When the test results came out, an emotional Alawi said that when she forwarded the results to her mother online, her first reply was not a reaction to the result, but a question whether she and her siblings tested negative.
"Parang mas inisip niya pa kami kaysa sa sarili niya na positive," she said.
Her brother Hash Alawi, who's also a vlogger, tested positive for COVID-19. Their little sister Mona tested negative, which Ivana was thankful for.
“Lord, kung bibigyan Mo kami ng COVID, okay lang na ako na lang," she said. "Huwag lang talagang si Mona kasi hindi na niya kaya. Ang dami na niyang sakit."
Alawi then urged her fans to become responsible citizens who should be mindful of the do's and don'ts when it comes to dealing with a COVID-19 infection.
“You have to take accountability," she said. "So, if you are exposed or if you are (not feeling) well, huwag ka nang lumabas and maghintay ka nang five days," adding that people should have themselves tested immediately if possible.
"Please be safe," Alawi reminded her fans. "Wear your mask, no one is above the law."
"Tandaan niyo iyan, kahit sino ka man, kung hindi ka law, hindi ka pwedeng mag-inarte at hindi ka pwede mag-break ng law," she stressed.
Alawi is the country's top content creator for two consecutive years, according to Google PH. Her eponymous YouTube channel, which she created in 2018, currently has over 14.8 million subscribers, and each video she releases has been racking up millions of views.
She placed fourth on “The 100 Most Beautiful Faces of 2021,” of TC Candler and the Independent Critics last Dec. 28, 2021.