Instagram | @milano_alyssa

Alyssa Milano Reveals She Had Coronavirus Prior To Controversy Over Crochet Face Mask

While Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson were the most vocal celebrities to have early experiences with the coronavirus, others are coming forward to reveal that they had contracted the virus without sharing it publicly.

Information about the coronavirus pandemic is rapidly changing and Diply is committed to providing the most recent data as it becomes available. Some of the information in this story may have changed since publication, and we encourage readers to use online resources from CDC and WHO to stay up to date on the latest information surrounding COVID-19.

Alyssa Milano is an actress best known for her work on *Charmed* from 1998-2006.

She also starred on Who's The Boss from 1984-1992 and will be starring in the show's sequel, which was recently announced.

Alyssa had made headlines a couple of times during the pandemic, and neither time has been for a particularly good reason.

In May, Alyssa came under fire for her use of a crochet face mask, which many felt would be ineffective.

Twitter | @Alyssa_Milano

"Not to be mean or anything, but if anyone thinks that knitted mask is going to do anything to stave off COVID-19, they are not very smart," one fan tweeted.

She received a lot of backlash.

Raheem Kassam, editor of The National Pulse, tweeted, “Uhhhh… @Alyssa_Milano’s mask is knitted. Not a real mask in any way. This stops NO germs in OR out. If anything she’s increasing her likelihood of catching something as it will just live on her face. Unreal.”

However, Alyssa clapped back.

Alyssa tweeted that the "mask has a carbon filter in it. So, yes, it might be crochet but totally safe," and also included a screenshot of an Amazon listing for filters.

Clearly, she had had it with the trolls.

Instagram | @milano_alyssa

“What a metaphor for life…idiots judging something on the surface without knowing what lies beneath…do better people," read a tweet that Alyssa retweeted about the controversy, making it clear exactly how she felt.

Now, Alyssa has revealed that she had contracted the virus in April.

Instagram | @milano_alyssa

"This was me on April 2nd after being sick for 2 weeks. I had never been this kind of sick. Everything hurt. Loss of smell. It felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest. I couldn’t breathe," she wrote on Instagram.

"I couldn’t keep food in me. I lost 9 pounds in 2 weeks."

Instagram | @milano_alyssa

"I was confused. Low grade fever. And the headaches were horrible. I basically had every Covid symptom. At the very end of march I took two covid19 tests and both were negative," Alyssa revealed, also stating that, at the time, she had tested negative for antibodies.

Alyssa stressed the importance of results from a blood test and not a finger prick.

Instagram | @milano_alyssa

"After living the last 4 months with lingering symptoms like, vertigo, stomach abnormalities, irregular periods, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, zero short term memory, and general malaise, I went and got an antibody test from a blood draw," she revealed.

After living for four months with lingering symptoms, Alyssa got tested for antibodies again and the results came back positive, meaning she'd had the virus before.

Instagram | @milano_alyssa

"I just want you to be aware that our testing system is flawed and we don’t know the real numbers. I also want you to know, this illness is not a hoax," Alyssa wrote.

"I thought I was dying."

Instagram | @milano_alyssa

"It felt like I was dying. I will be donating my plasma with hopes that I might save a life. Please take care of yourselves. Please wash your hands and wear a mask and social distance," she added.

Alyssa concluded by wishing her audience well.

Instagram | @milano_alyssa

"I don’t want anyone to feel the way I felt. Be well. I love you all (well, maybe not the trolls. Just the kind people.)" she wrote.

We're so glad to hear that Alyssa is recovering, and we wish her nothing but health and happiness!