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'It's going to ruin someone's life:' COVID patient pleads with others to wear masks

As the CDC comes down with a new mask recommendation, an Erwin man battling Covid-19 is pleading for everyone to wear one.

Posted Updated

By
Rosalia Fodera
, WRAL reporter

As the CDC comes down with a new mask recommendation, an Erwin man battling COVID-19 is pleading for everyone to wear one.

John Peregoy posted a video on his Twitter, sharing his message in labored breaths and a rapsy voice. He urges everyone to take the virus seriously.

"I’m a normal guy in decent health and I’m still struggling," he said.

Peregoy is a healthy guy in his 30s, but still found himself in the ER battling COVID-19.

He remembered saying to himself, "What have I gotten myself into?"

His symptoms started the Monday after Thanksgiving – loss of taste and smell. By the weekend he knew it was getting worse.

"They kind of had to get me out of my clothes, put ice packs all around me it was pretty rough," he said.

Peregoy and his wife said they took all the precautions, but they both still contracted the virus.

The CDC is now recommending people wear masks inside when they’re not at home.

Stuck in his bed at home, Peregoy couldn’t agree more.

"All masks all the time," he said.

After being in the hospital for three days, he said he’s feeling better.

He didn’t post the video on Twitter hoping for media attention, but to get across a simple message:

"Whether you’re going to the grocery store or you’re getting gas at a gas station, you’re bumping into somebody who is gonna carry that, and it’s gonna ruin someone else’s life."

The more than 14.1 million coronavirus infections and 275,000 death since February in the US – those are more than numbers... they’re people.

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