A few weeks ago we sat down with a local television personality who tested positive for COVID-19. A couple of weeks after his recovery, he has given his blessing to share his identity with us. In this interview article, we speak with Patrick Bonnici.
1) What prompted you to reveal your identity with our readers?
Initially I was concerned about what people might think of me, due to the stigma of being positive, however after giving it some thought, I decided to go public. In my view, there is nothing to be ashamed of. Ever since, I decided to form a support group to help those who are still battling the aftermath of their infection. The idea of helping others who also went through this ordeal made me see things from another perspective and I really hope that once I go public, people will contact me and benefit from this support group.
2) Can you give us a bit of background about what you do?
I work as a General/Operations Manager in a Marketing /Insurance company and I am also an Actor on a part-time basis since drama is my passion. In my free time, since I had to quit filming, I am just enjoying some quality time with my son.
3) Can you identify any positives from your COVID-19 experience?
I believe COVID-19 has helped me appreciate more those around me and life itself. It made me realise how much I was missing in my son’s life and what I took for granted. Now we have more time together and can appreciate our quality time. It made me understand the importance of enjoying life and how vital it is to live in peace.
It’s useless to hold grudges or to worry too much about anything when without knowing you can fall ill or worse, thus missing out on all the nice things life can offer you.
4) What do you look forward to in life now following your experience?
I eagerly look forward to getting our lives back. I can’t imagine continuing living the way we are. We are still, as a family, dealing with some psychological issues and we just want to get past all this and return to our usual selves. Unfortunately, I have to undergo further tests since some repercussions related to COVID-19 are still evident, so I guess I have to wait a bit longer!
5) What advice would you give to those who are currently battling COVID-19?
My advice goes to all those who are currently battling the virus, and also to those who are not. To those who tested positive, just be strong and follow all the protocols so as to avoid infecting others, but also maintain optimism and strength for your own sakes and those around you. As a general advice to all others, please be careful and respect the protocols in place. Let us respect each other. As I said several times, it is up to us to minimise the spread and to do so, we need to respect each other. Wear masks, respect social distancing, avoid groups and visiting other households. I am aware that this is not easy, but better uff than ahh. Some people still cannot understand the damage it causes especially on a mental level. Let’s work together and beat this thing once and for all.
Anyone who wishes to join the COVID-19 support group is kindly requested to send a private message to Patrick Bonnici.
