Italian tenor superstar Andrea Bocelli has admitted that he and his wife, Veronica contracted the COVID-19 virus in March and had recovered from it. The announcement was posted on the opera singer's Facebook page and his interviews with other media outlets.
Bocelli, who is at the forefront of helping to raise awareness about the coronavirus, takes another step forward. On Tuesday, May 26, he and his wife went to an Italian hospital to donate their blood to find a cure for the fast-spreading virus.
On his statement, Bocelli said that the coronavirus pandemic has affected "me and certain members of my family" mildly. He decided best not to share the news immediately "out of respect" for patients who had gotten ill due to COVID-19 and "has more serious consequences." He also wanted to keep the sickness private to protect his family. He also expressed his concern that he did not "want to unnecessarily alarm my fans."
The world-renowned opera singer, who is 61, said in his statement that he and his family were "fortunate enough" for a fast and "full recovery by the end of March." Based on reports, he tested positive with the coronavirus on March 10.
Furthermore, in his post, Bocelli shared his willingness to take part in finding a cure for the dreaded disease. "Given a chance to donate blood," he went on, saying, "my response was an immediate "yes." He believed that he is playing a "small part" but fundamental in the world's race to stem the spread of the disease.
Since Andrea and his wife, Veronica, 36 had recovered from COVID-19, their blood contains antibodies to the disease. According to Mayo Clinic, the antibodies are the "proteins the body uses to fight off infections." Convalescent plasma is the medical term of the blood from patients who have recovered.
Currently, convalescent plasma therapy is an experimental procedure done by medical experts to treat those who have severe coronavirus cases. It aims to "boost their ability to fight the virus."
A press release notes that Bocelli and his wife went to Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana or the University Hospital of Pisa to donate blood. He revealed to the media outside the hospital that he had only mild symptoms and ran a little fever but was generally asymptomatic.
Andrea and his COVID-19 efforts
Andrea Bocelli and many other celebrities have gone out of their way to raise awareness and funds to support COVID-19 causes.
Bocelli mesmerized the entire world with the historical Easter concert on April 12, 2020. Titled "Music for Hope: Live for Duomo di Milano," the blind singer performed solo in the empty iconic Roman Catholic cathedral. It was streamed live through his official YouTube channel, where he gave stirring renditions of classical pieces accompanied by a solo pianist. What made it more heart-rendering was the flashed videos of empty streets in different cities across the globe.
The live broadcast attracted 2.8 million viewers and currently has more than 40 million hits on YouTube. People were given a chance to donate through the Andrea Bocelli Foundation (ABF), which supported Italian hospitals to acquire required medical equipment and protective gear for the health workers.
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