Andrew Watt, who produced, co-wrote and played guitar on Ozzy Osbourne's new album Ordinary Man, says that he has tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
Watt said he received his test results on Monday (March 16th), after first showing signs that he was ill back on March 6th. He is unsure how he got the virus.
He wrote, "12 days ago . . . I started feeling like I was hit by a bus. I couldn't move out of my bed for days and started to run a fever. I was seen by a doctor at my house who told me I am positive for the regular flu and there's no way I could have COVID-19 as I haven't left the country and all I do is go to the studio and go straight home. I told all my friends I had been working with and anyone close to me that I'm laid out with the flu and quarantined myself . . . none of them even had a sniffle."
Watt said that the chills, sweats and fever did not stop despite medication and that he developed a cough. He wrote, "I immediately rushed to the emergency room and begged to be tested for COVID-19 as this 'flu' was not subsiding. I was turned down for the test because of federal regulations . . . A private doctor was finally able to test me himself and yesterday afternoon it came back Positive for COVID-19."
Watt added that his fever has abated and his appetite has returned, but that he finds it difficult to breathe as a result of developing pneumonia. He remarked, "I am 29 years old. I am a healthy young man and I am going to get through this no matter what. I am going to make a full recovery . . . but there are so many people in my life and in the world that could possibly not get through this due to their age and/or a compromised immune system."
Watt wrote that people must "stay inside, stay sanitized," adding, "To have the mentality 'I'm young this can't affect me' is just straight up stupid and so dangerous to everyone around you."
Ordinary Man is Ozzy's first solo album in a decade. He first worked with Watt on a song featuring a duet by Ozzy and Post Malone.
