Lingering after-effects of the novel coronavirus are hounding Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, a leader of the Philippines' pandemic response, he said Tuesday.

Año caught COVID-19 twice, first in March and then in August. He was hospitalized for 11 days during his second bout with the respiratory disease, he told TeleRadyo.

"Ang natutunan ko dito sa COVID, kapag pala tinamaan ka noong matinding symptoms, iyong 100-percent recovery mo ay nagtatagal bago mo ma-attain," said Año, vice chair of the coronavirus task force.

"Maramdaman mo, madali kang mapagod at saka medyo kukulangin ka ng hangin at makati pa rin iyong lalamunan mo. Probably 2 to 3 months pa siguro bago 100-percent recovery," he added.

(What I learned with COVID-19 is that if you are hit with severe symptoms, it takes long before you achieve 100-percent recovery. You will feel that you get tired easily, you get winded easily, your throat still itches. It will probably take 2 to 3 months before you het 100-percent recovery)

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Año urged the public to stay cautious of COVID-19.

"Hindi talaga biro na tamaan ka ng COVID. Kahit na mild o moderate symptoms, malaki ang epekto sa katawan," he said.

(Getting COVID-19 is not a joke. Even if your symptoms are just mild or moderate, these take a huge toll on the body.)

TeleRadyo, Sept. 29, 2020