Daniel Dae Kim has tested positive for the new coronavirus, he shared on Thursday.
The Lost star, 51, said he started developing symptoms on his flight back to his home in Hawaii after spending several weeks filming in New York City.
In a lengthy video message to his fans, Kim said he was on his way home after production closed down on New Amsterdam due to the virus and was “asymptomatic” during that time.
“But as the flight was close to landing, I started noticing some scratchiness in my throat, which is unlike how I usually get sick,” he said on Instagram. “So when I landed, I called my family doctor in Hawaii and he told me to monitor my symptoms. To be safe, when I got home, I quarantined myself in a room in the house and tried to rest on my own. But later that night, I started feeling tightness in my chest, body aches and my temperature started to rise. So he then told me to get tested.”
Kim said he went to one of the newly-built, publicly available drive-thru testing centers in Honolulu.
“The test itself was really awkward and a little painful, because they shove a huge swab into your nose and into your throat, but it was worth it, because of what I found out,” he said.
The father of two with wife Mia Kim said he was able to manage his symptoms on his own in self-isolation with medication from his doctor, though he did not specify the type.
“I never went to a hospital, but with the help of medication, bed rest, liquids and, of course, my loving family, I didn’t need to. I actually started feeling better the day after, and I started feeling a little better the day after that, and today, even though I’m not 100 percent, I’m pretty close,” he said.
The Hawaii Five-O star also offered to help with efforts to create a vaccine for COVID-19.
“With any luck, I will have actually built up an immunity to this virus when all of this is said and done. So I may not actually need the vaccine when it comes out. I hope it does soon though, and I will gladly contribute in any way I can, including donating antibodies in the pursuit of finding a vaccine for everyone,” he said.
Kim also said that though he is feeling better, younger people still need to take this virus seriously.
“Thankfully for me it was not a matter of life or death. But even though I’m smiling and upbeat now, for several days I was in bed, so for all those out there, especially teenagers and millennials who think this is not serious, please know that it is. And if you treat this without care, you are potentially endangering the lives of millions of people, including your loved ones,” he said. “So for the sake of everyone else, please follow the guidelines. Socially distance, self-isolate, stop touching your face and of course, wash your hands.”
And he also urged people to stop making racist remarks towards Asian people because of COVID-19.
“Please, please stop the prejudice and senseless violence against Asian people,” he said. “Randomly beating elderly, sometimes homeless Asian-Americans is cowardly, heartbreaking and it’s inexcusable. Yes, I’m Asian and yes, I have coronavirus, but I did not get it from China, I got it in America, in New York City, and despite what certain political leaders want to call it, I don’t consider the place where it’s from as important as the people who are sick and dying.”
Kim ended his message by joking about the elite group of actors he’s now joined, as someone with COVID-19.
“And I guess it’s nice to be mentioned in the same breath as Tom Hanks and Idris Elba, two of my favorite actors,” he said. “I guess I’m in some pretty good company.”
As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from CDC, WHO, and local public health departments and visit our coronavirus hub.
Source: Read Full Article