I felt indestructible, and I still caught coronavirus
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.14 COM | APRIL 3-APRIL 9, 2020
lion. Again, many of us
felt invincible — a big
mistake with this very
contagious virus.
On March 14, I felt
the first twangs of the
coronavirus — a full
night of no sleep, tossing
and turning, hot
and cold flashes, a runny
nose and a bit of a
cough. It went away in
the morning, but then
the next day, a spiking
fever of 100, but then
down to 97. On March
15, I felt fine until the
end of the day, when
I had a spiking fever
again.
I contacted my family
physician, who recommended
I contact
the Health Department
Coronavirus hotline.
Social distancing was
certainly on my mind
as I continued working,
staying a safe distance
from subjects and no interior
jobs. The Health
Department operator
said it didn’t sound
like coronavirus, but
since I’d been exposed
to so many people, they
moved ahead and I got
an appointment to be
tested.
I no longer had a fever,
wasn’t coughing
and my breathing was
fine. I have 9/11-related
asthma and I just
turned 60, so it seemed
prudent to make sure I
was fine.
Unfortunately, I am
not, having received
a call from the Health
Department informing
me that I indeed was
infected.
So now I’m home,
quarantined for 14 days
that started on March
23. My family has been
out of town for nearly
two weeks away from
me, so I’m alone with
two goldfish who innocently
look up to me for
their flakes. Being confined
is so opposite my
entire life and habits,
as I’m a social creature.
My work and reporting
will continue by phone
only for the next couple
of weeks.
My fever has been
consistently low. I have
an occasional cough, a
little upper respiratory
congestion — but it’s
nothing compared to
others.
I have a colleague
in the hospital in Long
Island in an induced
coma from coronavirus.
We have a family
member in Staten Island
who, at 85, died of
the contagion.
I’m among the lucky
80 percent with very
mild symptoms. The
worst part for me will
be dealing with cabin
fever — stuck inside
and avoiding any type
of contact with anyone.
Did we take this seriously
enough? I admit
to feeling indestructible,
but I should’ve
known that my work
and my habits — despite
social distancing,
hand washing and sanitizing
— would not be
enough.
Todd Maisel is the
photo editor for amNew
York Metro, one of our
sister publications.
BY TODD MAISEL
I survived the collapse
of the World
Trade Center, went to
war in Iraq in 2003 and
have been shot at and
threatened with death
in the field. I’ve seen
the horrors of world
catastrophes from Hurricane
Sandy to the terrible
results of 100,000
people being killed in
the great Haitian earthquake
of 2010. Yet, I felt
indestructible — a mistake
to say the least.
Now I have the coronavirus,
as confirmed
by a lab test.
Yes, I have been
keeping social distancing
and avoiding handshakes,
but obviously,
this was not enough.
The nature of my work
has always been to be
close to people — it’s
been my way to get to
know the subjects and
to help the public understand
what was the
truth from fiction.
So somewhere along
the way, I encountered
someone who had
COVID-19, and they
probably didn’t know
they had it.
At what point I contracted
the virus, I will
never know. Was it at
the many press conferences
and press briefings
with the mayor?
Was I sitting there with
my colleagues and getting
exposed and conversely
exposing them?
I saw one member of the
media actually wearing
a mask at those pressers.
Yes, I went to the supermarket,
walked my
dogs in the street — after
all, only a hundred
or so people had the
virus in a city of 9 mil-
Todd Maisel works on his computer during quarantine
in self portrait.
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