Dundee star Charlie Adam has admitted he was wrong to downplay the effects of Covid-19 in a heartfelt plea to the public to keep safe from the virus.
The former Rangers and Liverpool man suffered what he described as a “horrific” five days after contracting coronavirus in February.
Cases have been rising in Tayside and across the country of late and Adam has implored people not to treat the virus lightly.
Speaking in a video posted on Dundee FC’s social media feeds in conjunction with NHS Tayside, Adam recalled the illness: “I had headaches in the morning, I thought I’d just overslept or something but when I got to the club I did a test.
“It was positive and then the next five days were quite horrific.
“It hit me hard. I struggled for five days and probably a good six weeks after that I struggled to play football at the level that I wanted to.”@Charlie26Adam talks about his experience with covid. Charlie has now had both doses of the vaccine.@NHSTayside | #thedee pic.twitter.com/S3oT1WADHI
— Dundee Football Club (@DundeeFC) July 7, 2021
“I felt really tired, sluggish, headaches, pains.
“My advice for any young people is don’t treat this virus irresponsibly, take care and go and get tested.
“It’s important we try to keep everybody safe and we do the right things.
“It was a tough time but now I’m on the mend. I test regularly twice a week.
“I want to try to keep everyone safe from this virus.
“Please do what you can, get tested and be sensible.”
‘I should never have said that’
Last year on BBC radio, Adam said he wasn’t concerned about the effects of the virus because he was young and healthy.
In September, he said: “If I pick this virus up then OK, I’ll deal with that.
“You know, I’ll have to isolate and things like that but I’m not worried.
“I’m young. I’m healthy.”
However, after contracting the virus and experiencing its effects Adam has urged people not to make the same mistake.
'If I pickup the virus – I'll deal with it. I'm not worried. I'm young, I'm healthy'
Charlie Adam says he's relaxed playing against players who haven't been tested for covid.
Hear more in the podcast https://t.co/uF8grjr3Af pic.twitter.com/xfMUFhmW80
— BBC Sportsound (@BBCSportsound) September 21, 2020
He added: “Last year I said on the radio that because I was young I would deal with that situation.
“Knowing the situation now, I should never have said that.
“I got to respect the virus because it hit me hard and I struggled for five days.
“Then probably a good six weeks after that I struggled to play football at the levels I wanted to.
“The message again is just to be safe and make sure we test.
“Don’t neglect the opportunity to look after yourself.”