After recovering from the COVID-19 virus, Setareki Tamanivalu Raiyawa’s message to his families and friends is to ‘get vaccinated.’

This is after the 43-year-old, successfully recovered from the COVID-19 virus.

His recovery strengthened his belief in the vaccine and he wished to reiterate its impor­tance to the general public.

“The most important message for me is for my families and friends, and work colleagues to get vaccinated, it saved my life” Mr Tamanivalu said.

He said he had a weak immune system and received a monthly injection to keep him going.

“Because I am fully protected after getting that second jab, it has protected me from the full wrath of the virus. I would strongly advice everyone to get vaccinated.”

The Sales and Marketing Man­ager at Likuri Island Resort out­side of Nadi received his first swab on July 7 before being ad­mitted at the Lautoka Hospital the next day.

He said for the first few days he had experienced headache, body pain, shortness of breath and coughing. He lost his sense of taste and smell.

“It was horrible, I would not wish for anyone in my family or friends to go through that experi­ence.”

He said he received antibiotics and also had pawpaw and sour­sop leaves blended together.

He said once he was discharged from hospital on July 20, he wasted no time in registering the 13 members of his household online to get vaccinated.

“The fact that I got my second jab on the first of this month helped a great deal, as it weak­ens the effects of the virus faster than usual,” he said.

“I know for sure if getting vac­cinated saved my life, it could do the same for everyone out there.”

Mr Raiyawa said he was work­ing from home.

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