An actress, television personality, Gen.T honouree, and a staunch body positivity and self-love advocate, Iza Calzado is a true example of an empowered woman. Through She Talks Asia, an organisation she co-founded, she has helped change the way Asian women perceive themselves, specifically in the self-esteem department. As she is a dynamic and spirited personality, one would be hard-pressed to picture Calzado—who is well-known for playing a queen with special powers in a popular fantasy series—as anything but full of life. But no one is exempt from a pandemic, not even the young and the healthy.

On March 12, Calzado began to develop flu-like symptoms. What started as a general feeling of being unwell evolved into a dry throat and cough. Concerned, she set an appointment with her doctor, who sent her home with a prescription and