Rosie Perez on battling COVID-19 while filming in Bangkok last year: 'Hit me like a ton of bricks'

Rosie Perez appeared on Tuesday’s The Daily Show With Trevor Noah and discussed her battle with COVID-19 in November 2019. While recent studies suggest the coronavirus didn’t reach the U.S. until December, Perez was in Bangkok, Thailand, when she contracted the virus almost a month prior.

“Hit me like a ton of bricks,” recalled Perez. “I was feverish, had a horrible cough. It felt like someone was stepping on my chest, I was very lethargic and scared.”

Perez was filing The Flight Attendant when she got sick. Kaley Cuoco, who is the lead in the series, posted a picture of Perez on Instagram just after she started experiencing symptoms.

Perez said she was extremely sick but didn’t realize how bad things were until she visited a hospital.

“It was like a movie,” she said. “I mean, they took my vitals in the waiting room and then all of a sudden all these people came with all the PPE and rushed me in.”

Perez was treated and released. She said her interactions with her doctor in Thailand is what drove her to be so involved in promoting the use of masks in New York.

“I was able to finally leave the emergency room,” said Perez, “And I remember her last words to me was, ‘Never go outside, never stand in front of another person without a mask. You're not only protecting yourself but you're protecting others. That's why I have my mask on with you because I don't want you to make me sick and what you have is very, very serious.’ I said, ‘What's the name?’ She says, ‘Well, we don't know yet.’”

The Daily Show With Trevor Noah airs weeknights at 11 p.m. on Comedy Central.

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