A Covid-19 survivor, who happens to be a psychologist, tells us how cycling helps improve one’s wellbeing after a long time of isolation.
Micko Pazcoguin did not leave the house for almost a month after testing positive from Covid-19. He did the mandatory two-week home quarantine and was not able to go out after because of the bad weather.
“My mental health was affected when I was diagnosed because of many factors like the expenses, uncertainty of dying and the stigma,” he said. “Being stuck at home was hard because I already developed a routine of balancing my time indoors and outdoors.”
Micko is the assigned family member who buys their essentials. If you’re wondering how he contacted the virus, it’s not because he always goes out. We’re not disclosing full details but he said that he got it from another person in their household.
This psychologist said that prayers and support from friends helped him during the grueling two weeks of quarantine. He described the illness as “a fever that never seems to go out.” He lost the senses of smell and taste and always felt exhausted.
When he finally recovered, he was still stuck inside the house because of the typhoons. So what’s the first thing he did after being at home for almost a month?
He grabbed his bicycle. He biked to the bank and bought groceries.
“Going out for activities is not only good for our physical health but it’s also beneficial to our mental health,” he said.
“Cycling is one of the best ways to do outdoor activities and at the same time minimize the risk of contacting or spreading the virus,” he added. “When you are biking, it’s just you and your bike.”
His Covid-19 experience was hard and he wishes no one to contact it. He reminds everyone to stay safe and practice the proper health protocols when going out.
Today, he went to Binondo and Luneta Park to experience a different scenery because he’s always in front of his computer doing online classes and attending meetings.
“Manila has a beautiful sunset but the best part of today’s trip was eating fresh seafood at Dampa,” he said.
