Actress Tiffany Haddish shared her experience battling the COVID-19 virus in a video interview with Dr. Anthony Fauci posted on her YouTube channel on August 31.
In the 30-minute long video, Haddish asked Fauci what people can do to boost their immune system, how long COVID-19 antibodies last and what the COVID-19 vaccine will consist of. The two also talked about the disparities in infection rate among black, Hispanic and white populations and her own experience with COVID-19.
Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984, said the best way to avoid contracting the virus is by wearing face masks, washing hands and staying six-feet apart.
“The best way to keep your immune system good is to just live a healthy life, get good sleep, exercise. Those are thing things that are so much better than a bunch of herbs,” said Fauci.
Haddish also asked Fauci about how long antibodies last when the vaccine is created. Haddish has gotten tested multiple times for the coronavirus but has gotten both negative and positive results back.
“We don’t know how long the antibodies last with the vaccine, we’re assuming, a pretty good assumption, with the vaccine it will last about 8 months or a year or so,” said Fauci.
While the two seemed to be enjoying themselves by cracking a few jokes and even singing at one point in the interview, Haddish and Fauci were serious when they spoke about the disparities of infection between black, Hispanic and white populations and why black people may be resistant to receive the vaccine.
“I don’t want to get sick trying to get healthy. I don’t want to be a guinea pig,” said Haddish when speaking about the possibility of getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
Fauci mentioned the importance of black, Hispanic, Native American and other minority participation in the clinical trials for the COVID-19 vaccine. Precisely because the disparity of infection has been noted between minority communities and the white population.
Fauci added the disproportion of infection rate could be because many black and Hispanic people work jobs that require physical interaction with people. Minority communities have the greater likelihood of having the underlying conditions such as obesity that result in a more serious outcome if they contract the virus, according to Fauci.
Haddish spoke about her experience with getting tested for COVID-19 revealing she has gotten tested 12 times.
“I was working on a movie, someone in the movie contracted coronavirus. I wasn’t in direct contact with them but they sent us all home and they stopped the movie,” said Haddish.
Haddish said she was advised to get tested but was not experiencing any symptoms. The first time she was tested the results came back negative.
“Then somebody else I know that was around like a week before, they contracted the coronavirus so I went and got tested again. Get the test the second time, not feeling any symptoms or anything and it comes back like two days later and it said, I did have the coronavirus,” said Haddish.
Check out the full interview below:
