Experts warn of Omicron boom, focus again turns on MIQ and a tragic plane crash in Brisbane in the latest NZ Herald headlines. Video / NZ Herald
Brian May has been through a "truly horrible" few days after contracting coronavirus.
The 74-year-old Queen guitarist and his wife Anita Dobson both tested positive for Covid-19 last week, which he believes they contracted when attending a birthday party for a friend, so urged people to be cautious when going out socialising.
The 74-year-old Queen guitarist and his wife Anita Dobson both tested positive for Covid-19 last week. Photo / Supplied
On Saturday, May shared a photo of a positive lateral flow test (LFT) and wrote: "Yep. The shocking day finally came for me. The dreaded double red line. And yes – definitely NO sympathy please – it has been a truly horrible few days, but I'm OK. And I will tell the tale.
"PLEASE take extra care out there, good folks. This thing is incredibly transmissible. You really do NOT want it messing up YOUR Christmas. With love – Bri (sic)"
He followed it with two video posts early on Sunday, December 19 in which he explained how he and Anita had contracted the virus after attending a party following months of living "hermit-like" lives.
The We Will Rock You hitmaker told how it took several days after the party for them to test positive, despite them both feeling ill.
He said: "Saturday was the party, Sunday, Anita had a bit of a cough, I felt alright, just a bit sniffly. Monday we had a few symptoms but thought maybe it was the flu because we were testing the whole time, and testing negative.
"Tuesday I heard people from the party had tested positive and I realised they had been testing negative until this point as well so Tuesday night we tested once more and were both positive... Luckily we'd pretty much kept away from everybody because we had a feeling, so hopefully, we didn't infect anybody else."
Adam Lambert and Brian May of Queen perform onstage. Photo / Getty Images
Brian admitted he felt "horrendous" for a few days, but is now "pretty good". He continued: "By that time I had two horrendous days, it was like the worst flu you can ever imagine...
"We were both poorly, me particularly... I couldn't get out of bed, filled with a mess in my head, all the flu symptoms and a terrible cough... Saturday, day seven, I feel pretty good, I've felt pretty good for the last few days so it does go away."
The guitarist went on to "beg and implore" people to get vaccinated if they haven't been already, and expressed his frustration at those involved in a protest in London on Saturday.
He said: "Of course there are so many people in hospitals who weren't jabbed, who are on the line between life and death and I can't emphasise enough this is not the response my body would have made on its own, it's because I had three Pfizer jabs, so I beg and implore you to get jabbed if you haven't already because you need the help.
"I lost one of my best friends to Covid very early on, in six days it killed him, it could have killed me if I hadn't had the jabs.
"I despair of these people protesting against the vaccine, [or because] their rights are being violated to have to wear a mask... Jesus Christ guys, our parents fought through wars and had their civil rights knocked away. All anyone is asking is for you to play your part, it's a nasty thing and it isn't finished yet.
"By all means protest, but protest against stuff you should be concerned with - the ineptitude, the arrogance, the ignorance, the deceptiveness and dishonesty of this government led by Boris Johnson. Protest against them killing thousands of badgers or pretending to be green... Get real, this is not about you."
He said: "I'm here to tell you, if I may, it's not too scary and if you're jabbed, you can survive. Don't be scared, but be cautious. We'll postpone, well get better and I'll get fit again, I'm back on the bike and doing 100 laps of swimming, fitness is important.
"Be brave, but be sensible and careful and let's all pull together to try and beat this damn coronavirus."
Brian captioned the video with a tribute to his beloved wife.
He wrote: "What I didn't say? All my love and gratitude to my amazing wife Anita - who was a warrior while I mainly slept through this - cooking up a storm and caretaking and holding everything together. Again. Who could be as lucky as I?"
