Given the long incubation period of the coronavirus, it can be hard to tell what events cause a massive community spread. Still, one Chicago area family is using their fatal slip-up as a warning to others to be more vigilant. Mike and Carol Bruno died ten days apart from coronavirus complications after sitting in on their son's haircut in their daughter's home a few days before Thanksgiving.
"We never thought this would happen to our family, and it did. This virus is really unforgiving and just attacks in really vicious ways,” son Joe Bruno told WECT.
The virus began to spread through the family following a haircut on November 20. Bruno's sister, who had tested negative for the virus just days before, cut his hair in her home and brought her mother along.
“My sister works in a salon, so just before Thanksgiving, my sister got a COVID test and was negative. She quarantined for three or four days after she got the negative test. I needed a haircut, and she said, ‘Well, why don’t I just come by and cut your hair, so you don’t have to come into the salon?’”Bruno explained.
He went on to say that they took several precautions to avoid contracting the virus.
“I did not hug my mom. I did not hug my sister. My sister cut my hair. She was masked, and all the windows were open. We were distanced in my apartment, and then, they left,” Bruno said. “They were over for maybe 40 to 45 minutes. Later that evening, my sister started to feel symptoms. About three days later, I started to feel symptoms.”
All in all, six members of the extended Bruno family came down with COVID-19. Mike and Carol passed away earlier this month. Joe blames himself for his parents' deaths.
“Had I made that sacrifice and, you know, didn’t spend 30 to 40 minutes with my mom, they would still be here,” Bruno said.
