True Blood’s Anna Camp Reveals Her Struggles With COVID-19

2020 hasn’t been kind to the human population, having riddled us with issues ranging from Australia’s massive wildfires, locust swarms in Africa, fears of a new world war and civil unrest worldwide following the murder of George Floyd. And though all of that has wreaked havoc, topping it all off has been the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic that’s only worsening by the day. With over 15 million known cases globally and 620,000 deaths, the outbreak has taken a massive toll on basically every aspect of daily life.

The United States remains the epicenter of the virus, and record numbers of new cases are appearing daily with total known infections having passed 4 million. It’s expected that that number is substantially higher, too, considering the fact that the virus is known to be asymptomatic or mild for many of those infected. And even despite increasing cases, political battles continue over whether or not the economy should continue to open up as unemployment skyrockets across the nation, whether masks should be worn in public places and whether schools should reopen later this summer.

Celebrities haven’t been immune to the virus, either, and one True Blood actress in particular has seen some of the long-term effects that COVID-19 can have on the human body. In a recent Instagram post, Anna Camp – known for portraying antagonist Sarah Newlin on the show – opened up about her experience and shared that she’s suffered with persistent symptoms like poor sense of smell, extreme fatigue, dizziness and more even after finally testing negative following her initial three week battle with the virus.

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Hi friends… I felt it was my responsibility to share that I ended up getting Covid-19. I have since tested negative, but I was extremely sick for over three weeks and still have lingering symptoms. I was incredibly safe. I wore a mask. I used hand sanitizer. One time, when the world was starting to open up, I decided to forgo wearing my mask in public. One. Time. And I ended up getting it. I believe it may have been because of that one time. People are saying it’s like having the flu, but I’ve had the flu, and this is absolutely not that. The panic of contracting a virus that is basically untreatable and is so new that no one knows the long term irreparable damage it does to your immune system is unbelievably stressful. Completely losing my sense of smell and taste without knowing when or even if they will return is extremely disorienting. I’m only smelling about 30 percent of how I used to now. Other persistent symptoms are (a month later) dizziness, extreme fatigue, impacted sinuses, upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, and fever. I’m lucky. Because I didn’t die. But people are. Please wear ur mask. It can happen any time. And it can happen to anyone. Even that one time you feel safe. We can all make a difference. Wearing a mask is saving lives. Thank you to everyone who reached out to check on me during this scary time. Please be safe out there. Let’s all do our part and wear a mask. I don’t want any of you to go through what I did. Even though it’s a little thing, it can have a huge impact, and it’s so incredibly easy to do❤️

A post shared by Anna Camp (@therealannacamp) on Jul 21, 2020 at 11:23am PDT

Anna Camp‘s lingering problems aren’t surprising, of course, as health officials and doctors have stated that lasting effects from COVID-19 are becoming more apparent as they learn more about how the virus attacks the body. Brain damage, neurological and cardiac problems and long-term breathing issues rank among the most debilitating symptoms some patients experience well after testing negative.

That said, it may be years before we know all of the details about the enduring impact this devastating novel coronavirus will have on the world’s population. In the meantime, stay safe.