CLEVELAND — A woman raised in Akron, who has worked in New York City for years, is now back in our area for a very important reason. This is at a time when local health experts just this week warned of people from the NYC area coming to Cleveland. However, Jodi Taub’s story is a bit different and hopes to help you understand compromised people and how friends are opening up their homes.
“I’m very thankful and grateful that I was able to get out of New York and that I had somewhere safe to go.” Taub told us. “I’m a proud Buckeye and I’ve never been happier to be home, my entire life.”
Taub is now staying in Solon with her longtime friend.
“The minute that she called me and I could kind of hear the panic in her voice, she’s like, ‘I think I need to come to Cleveland,’ and it wasn’t even a hesitation,” said Rachel Arnopolin, 45, from Solon.
Taub has something called Primary Immunodeficiency. It’s caused by an inherited flaw in a person’s immune system, making them more susceptible to infections.
“I don’t have the antibodies to fight off regular diseases such as the flu and colds and viruses,” said Taub. Because of that, she told us she began preparing for the Coronavirus about 6 weeks ago. She said she already, normally wears masks when she goes to the doctor. She scans rooms to see who’s sick and coughing. She uses plenty of hand sanitizer.
“In this case (with the Coronavirus), everyone else is experiencing this, too, verses it just being me who has to live by these rules,” Taub said.
She usually works in Manhattan where New York City has become the epicenter off the virus for the U.S.
“New York City was seeing double the number of cases every two-and-a-half days,” said New York’s Governor Andrew Cuomo in a recent interview.
Local health leaders are warning us about people coming here.
“We have travelers from New York City in our community who we have lab-confirmed cases linked to New York,” said Dr. Heidi Gullett from the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.
Taub was in self-quarantine for 9 days before coming to Solon. She has been in isolation for the past 10 days here, was tested here, and is Coronavirus-free. “Since I’ve been to Ohio so people don’t have to worry, I have not gone anywhere, except for the backyard, and Rachel’s house and our car. I wanted to take a drive,” said Taub.
She knows just how devastating something like this can be physically and mentally. She’s a therapist for people who are chronically ill. “Many of my patients are sick with Corona and are coming down with it. There are friends of mine who I know that are coming down with this as well,” she told us.
Taub has been using tele-conferencing with her patients for weeks now, staying away but being right there for them, too. She knows what they’re going through.
“I was so fearful,” said Taub. “I couldn’t go out the front door. I couldn’t go to the elevator. I couldn’t walk my dog. So, to be able to feel..to not feel like there’s a target on my back and I have some normalcy in my life here…we have family dinners every night and I can walk outside.”
Taub said she has to go to the doctor every three to four days just because of her condition. That’s one reason she’s back here, to get care at Cleveland Clinic. She is looking for an apartment in the area until there’s a better grip on the coronavirus in New York City.
