'I have Corona for life': Richard Wilkins on life after coronavirus diagnosis

The Australian entertainment industry was left gobsmacked back in March when Richard Wilkins tested positive for the coronavirus.

As one of the first high profile people to contract the deadly COVID-19, Richard gave his fans daily updates on his Instagram account about his journey.

And now the Channel Nine star has reflected on spending 18 days in isolation, saying he’s still baffled he didn’t get any symptoms usually associated with the virus.

“I swear on my life, I’ve still not had a runny nose, a headache or a fever. And I’ve not had a Codral or a Nurofen. Not a thing,” the 65-year-old told The Australian.

The star joked that he now has “Corona for life” after his friends dropped off eight cases of the beer at his home during his recovery.

Richard’s coronavirus journey began on March 12 just after the news broke that Hollywood star Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, had tested positive.

The entertainment reporter had been at Rita’s Opera House show and met the couple backstage and he also caught up with her when she appeared on Today Extra on March 9th.

On March 15, Richard received the call to say he had tested positive for the coronavirus.

Just a few days after Richard was given his positive diagnosis he said he was going through a ‘crisis in his life’ but wasn’t experiencing any symptoms and was optimistic that he was going to fight the deadly virus.

“I am showing completely zero symptoms and speaking to some of these incredibly professional doctors and health experts they are saying, so when did you get sick? Who did you meet before - and I said "I haven't been sick and I'm not sick",” he said on Today Extra.

He said his only symptom, a small tickle in the back of his throat, disappeared that morning which he hoped was a sign of a turn in the tide.

“I really feel that this thing has left me now so fingers crossed,” he said.

Writing on his 9Now blog, Richard said he “felt like a guinea pig” after being tested five times over the course of his diagnosis but he knew it was “about keeping other people safe”.

On April 1st, Richard got the all-clear, with a hilarious Instagram video revealing Corona had left the building – literally.

The entertainment reporter shared a video of him placing an empty carton of Corona beer in the bin after he earlier revealed many fans had decided to send the Mexican beverage as a cheeky get well soon gift.

“...and Coronavirus you’re outta here!” the overjoyed host wrote alongside the video.

“I’ve been cleared to return to work by the incredible team at NSW Health.”

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