Alyssa Milano Gives Health Update as COVID-19 Long Hauler, Plus: She Talks Politics and Inaugural Ball

Alyssa Milano has been open about her struggles with COVID-19, and now she’s talking to “Extra’s” Jenn Lahmers about her experience.

Milano pointed out she was “one of the first,” adding, “This was still at the point where they were saying don't wear masks if you don’t need to, save the masks for healthcare workers — and we knew so little about it.”

She has documented her health battle and the aftermath with millions of her followers on Instagram, including posting an illustration of her lungs. Alyssa is what is called a long hauler, meaning she is still experiencing symptoms.

The actress told Jenn, “Those are actually my lungs… I’m working with a doctor, Dr. Lee. He basically takes CT scans and is able to put it in a process where you can actually see the blood vessels… He asked permission to use that photo to make a point.”

Now, Milano is using the experience to educate others. “Me getting the disease, I feel almost blessed in a way. I am an activist… Any opportunity I have to raise awareness and to educate and empower people on what is happening.”

Opening up about her health today, she said, “I haven’t fully recovered. I work really hard at physical therapy, and mental therapy… It’s been very trying… We don't know if people ever completely recover… it's scary.”

Milano is also an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump, sharing how she felt seeing the unrest at the Capitol. “I can't even count the number of times I've been at the Capitol to lobby for certain issues… The security is always so tight… it was heartbreaking.” She went on, “I love this country so much… and I do believe that we will build back better with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, and I'm excited as an activist, to, to play my part and do whatever I can to make the people of this country feel that they could dream again.”

She is supporting the Creative Coalition’s U.S. Presidential Inaugural Ball, an incredible event that will be digital this year.

The 48-year-old explained, “If there's anything that we've seen throughout history that can unite a country after crisis, it's the arts, it's music, it's television, film, it's books, it's poetry… to be fighting alongside the Creative Coalition to make sure that our budget isn't cut from the National Endowment of the Arts in the federal budget I think is really, really important and we have to remember that our industry is a really big component to the economic success of our country.”