Tammy Hembrow reveals COVID-19 scare after ignoring advice and traveling to Italy

Tammy Hembrow has revealed her coronavirus scare after traveling to Italy for a fashion show in late February, just before the country was put on lockdown.

The 26-year-old ignored her father’s advice to stay home and jetted overseas on February 21 to attend German designer Philipp Plein’s No Limits show. 

She then returned to the Gold Coast several days later with a sore throat and cough, and struggled to get tested for the virus as her family feared for her health.   

Tammy discussed her coronavirus scare on the latest episode of family podcast Hanging with the Hembrows, alongside sisters Amy and Emilee. 

‘I came back from Italy right before it got really bad there. A week later, Italy was on lockdown. I lost my voice, but that always happens after I travel. I went to the hospital to ease everyone’s mind and they wouldn’t test me,’ said Tammy.

‘I literally always lose my voice and get a sore throat after I travel on an aeroplane.’

It wasn’t until a couple of weeks later, as coronavirus was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation on March 11, that testing became more readily available in Australia. 

‘We all wanted you to get tested,’ responded Tammy’s sister Emilee, 28, adding that their father, actor Mark Hembrow, advised her not to take the trip to Italy. 

Tammy reflected: ‘Remember when dad was like, “Tam, you should not go there”. I thought he was just being overprotective, as usual.

‘It’s so sad, there’s been so many people dying, it’s so insane. The amount of people that are sick and dying is so crazy. Australia has it way better than a lot of places.’

Tammy self-isolated from coronavirus at her Gold Coast mansion with her two children, Wolf and Saski, and admits to struggling. 

‘I was so up and down when we first started having to stay home. One day I’d be so emotional and want to cry for no reason, then I’d be better,’ she said. 

‘It was such a weird situation, adjusting.’

At present, 33,846 people have died from COVID-19 in Italy, with over 235,000 confirmed cases. Australia has had 7,253 confirmed cases and 102 deaths.