Dwayne ‘the Rock’ Johnson: actor and family had Covid-19

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson says he and his family had contracted Covid-19.

The ex-wrestler, who is now the highest-paid actor in the world, said he, his wife and their two daughters contracted the virus despite being “disciplined” about protecting health.

He said the positive tests were “a kick in the stomach.”

Now, he added: “We are at the other extreme and we no longer infect. Thank God, we are healthy.”

Johnson and his family live in the United States, which has recorded more than 6.1 million coronavirus cases and 860,000 deaths related to the disease.

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The 48-year-old actor said he and his wife Lauren, 35, and their daughters Jasmine and Tiana, four and two, contracted the virus about two and a half weeks ago.

The American-Canadian actor said his daughters had exhibited mild symptoms and explained that “they had a sore throat for the first few days, but other than that, they recovered and life has been normal.”

“But it was a little different for Lauren and me,” Johnson said. He said he and his wife “had a hard time”, without detailing his exact symptoms, but together “they got through it as a family.”

Johnson said they contracted the virus from “very close family friends” who, in turn, had no idea how they had become infected.

“I can tell you that this has been one of the most challenging and difficult things that we have had to endure as a family,” Johnson said in a video posted on his Instagram account.

“Testing positive for Covid-19 is very different from getting over unpleasant injuries, or being evicted or even going bankrupt, which I’ve done more than a few times.

“My number one priority is to always protect my family.

“We are counting our blessings at this time because we are well aware that it is not always the case that one reaches the other end of Covid-19 stronger and healthier.”

He suggested several ways his fans could mitigate the risks of the coronavirus, including living a healthy lifestyle and wearing a face mask.

“It puzzles me that some people, including some politicians, take this idea of ​​wearing masks and make it part of a political agenda,” Johnson said.

“It has nothing to do with politics. Put your mask on. It’s a fact. And it’s the right thing to do.”

President Donald Trump and other conservative politicians in the United States have been criticized for downplaying the need to wear masks and politicizing the idea.

More on the use of face masks:

• Why we should all wear masks

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Johnson followed his father Rocky to become a professional wrestler and star of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).

He became a huge hit in sports before turning to acting, starring in blockbuster movies like The Scorpion King, Fast & Furious 6, and the Jumanji franchise.

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Last month, he was named the highest-paid male actor for the second year in a row, earning $ 87.5 million (£ 67 million) between June 2019 and June 2020, including $ 23.5 million for the Netflix thriller Red Notice, according to Forbes magazine.