Bachata singer Prince Royce says he received a wake-up call with a diagnosis of COVID-19 and now wants to try to wake up others too.
Royce revealed that he is recovering from the virus in an interview with The Associated Press on Thursday.
Royce, 31, said he decided to speak out of mounting frustration at seeing people come out and gather without masks, even as cases are increasing in several states. And like many, he is concerned that more people will become infected over the July 4 weekend.
“At first, I was very scared, like ‘No one can find out, I shouldn’t tell anyone.’ But I felt like I have a duty to tell my communities, you know. I live in Florida, I’m from New York, I have a place in California. And I’m seeing what’s happening across the country. I see what’s happening in the world, “Royce said through Zoom from his home in Miami.
Later he also shared a message on Twitter.
For him, it all started about two weeks ago on a Sunday, when he woke up in the middle of the night feeling unwell after spending the day at the pool making TikTok videos and battling a “very bad headache.” But he attributed it to one day in the sun and cold air conditioning, and went back to sleep.
When he woke up in the morning, he felt worse and had a temperature of 101 degrees. He took some painkillers. On Monday, the fever had disappeared, but the headache persisted.
“I said, ‘I’m going to take the COVID test just to be responsible, but I don’t think I have it.’ And that’s how I found out, ”said the multiplatinum bachata singer.
Royce said the diagnosis surprised him.
“I thought I was washing my hands,” he said. “I thought I was wearing the mask, you know. And I think for me it was just a wake-up call, like I’ve been watching this on TV every day, I’m on WhatsApp groups with my family, I’ve been sending them stuff I thought for sure that I would not have received it because I have been ‘taking precautions’. ”
Royce doesn’t know how he got COVID-19, but he admits that after spending three months in quarantine, the reopening of bars and restaurants gave him a false sense of security.
“I was home all this time, and I went out to some restaurants because things opened up, and I thought, ‘Well, Florida hasn’t been that bad, and New York is the one with the problem.’ I fell in love with it and I think a lot of people can fall in love with it and they will fall in love with it, ”he said. “And that’s what made me think, I need to go out and tell my story. Because it’s bothering me. It is very frustrating for me to see people in supermarkets without a mask. It is very frustrating for me to see that people are irresponsible and do not protect others. ”
Neither his wife, Emeraude Toubia, nor the people he went out to dinner with, have become ill.
“I can’t imagine what would have happened if I had given it to my parents or if my wife had given it to her grandmother,” he said. “And I’m lucky. I feel very lucky that hopefully I didn’t give it to other people.”
Although overall feeling good and staying positive, some days have been better than others. He says he felt dizzy after recent training.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that disappear within two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more serious illnesses, such as pneumonia and death.
Royce has earned 18 number one radio hits, 22 Latin Billboard Awards and 13 Latin Grammy nominations with hits such as “Give You a Kiss”, “The Love We Lost” and “I Am The Same”. Their latest album, “Alter Ego,” debuted at number one in February on Billboard’s list of Best Latino Albums. She has more than 12 million followers on Instagram and wants her fans to know that everyone is vulnerable.
“Just because you’re young doesn’t mean you won’t understand,” Royce said. “I hope my story can educate young people, the people who are trying to go out this weekend because of the holidays, the people who go to bars because things are open.”
He says, “Don’t be selfish and make the same mistakes that I probably made.”
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