Rachel Matthews is using her coronavirus diagnosis to answer people's most pressing questions about the pandemic. On Monday the actress, who voiced Honeymaren in Frozen 2, revealed she had tested positive for COVID-19, the novel coronavirus. In a series of Instagram Stories, she detailed her symptoms over the course of a few days and answered questions about the process of getting tested.
What started as a sore throat and headache progressed into a mild fever, complete with aches and a cough by day three. Days four and five saw a reduction in these symptoms, and currently shortness of breath, fatigue, and loss of appetite remain. The actress says she's "feeling better" but has some advice for people who may also be experiencing symptoms.
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"Been getting a lot of questions in regards to tests," she wrote. "The reality is they are INSANELY hard to come by. Our country is very behind and we don't have much of a system in place."
Matthews said she was able to receive testing because she had been exposed to someone who tested positive, but recommended that anyone experiencing symptoms should behave as if they're positive and self-quarantine.
She also directed followers to Idris Elba's video. The actor revealed yesterday that he had tested positive for the virus despite not showing any symptoms.
"This is serious," he said in a video. "Now's the time to really think about social distancing, washing your hands."
Other celebrities who tested positive include Quantum Of Solace actress Olga Kurylenko and Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson. In better news, Hanks and Wilson have been released from the hospital and are currently in self-isolation.
COVID-19 has been declared a global pandemic. Go to the CDC website for the latest information on symptoms, prevention, and other resources.