Mayim Bialik Tests Positive For COVID-19: ‘I’m Feeling A Lot Of Fear’ – PEOPLE

The Jeopardy! host on Monday revealed her diagnosis to fans on Instagram, explaining that she had contracted the virus after being vaccinated and boosted.

She then pointed he followers to an Instagram Live she did on the account for her podcast, Mayim Bialik’s Breakdown, in which she went into depth about her symptoms and her feelings with the whole situation.

“I have COVID, and it’s no joke over here,” she said in the clip, adding that exhaustion is her No. 1 feeling. “It’s very exhausting, the exhaustion is very special. I had mononucleosis when I was in college and the exhaustion hits like that where you cannot be awake, you can try to be awake but then all of a sudden you need to sleep.”

“I am hoping that it passes quickly,” Bialik said. “I’m trying to believe my body knows what to do. I do have asthma, I do have a thyroid condition which means it’s an immune compromised situation.”

To help treat her symptoms, Bialik has been trying a number of things, including heating up lemon juice with ginger and turmeric — a suggestion she said she revealed from a friend.

“One of the annoying things about COVID is that everybody has the things that you’re supposed to do,” Bialik said, reaching out to her cabinets to show all the suggestions she’s recently received. “I’ve got zinc and magnesium and immune stuff, D3, this insane vitamin C that tastes really bad but that means it’s good for you.”

“You know what else strangely works? Graham crackers and dark chocolate!” she joked. “I don’t know, that’s what i’ve been craving.”

Despite her jokes, Bialik told her followers that she’s “not at all trying to make light of any aspect of this,” saying, “I know that there are people who do not have resources or care. It’s something I’ve been following since the beginning of COVID.”

“I was thinking about all the people with young children, especially single parents, because this level of exhaustion I cannot imagine needing to care for small children right now,” she added. “I know that so many people in this world are in that situation and it’s just really devastating to me.”

As for getting COVID for the first time, though she said “it’s bound to find us,” Bialik stressed she’s disappointed it finally happened to her.

“I’m feeling a whole bunch of regret that I ever took my mask off ever in the world, like even outside” the former Blossom star said. “I’m feeling a lot of fear. Why did I ever go out? Why did I think that anything was fine ever?”

“Please be careful,” she told her followers at her video’s conclusion. “I hope everyone stays safe. I’m gonna drink this and then fall asleep.”

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After her recovery, Bialik will return as the to co-host of Jeopardy! alongside series champ Ken Jennings on a rotating basis.

Recently, Jennings, 47, had been a witness to Jeopardy! champion Mattea Roach’s 23-game winning streak. After Roach’s run came to an end on May 6, Jennings announced that the show would also be his last episode for some time. As he takes an extended hiatus from his hosting duties, Jennings confirmed Bialik would be stepping in.

“I’m handing the keys back to the talented actor-producer-writer-director (!) @missmayim for a few months,” he tweeted on May 7. “We are lucky to have her! Thanks for watching, and I’ll be back before the end of the season.”