MONTREAL -- John Lotin is the CEO of a CPR training facility in South Orange, New Jersey.
Lotin contracted the COVID-19 virus when an individual came in to take an a computer-based certification exam at the facility, and Lotin went to check the person's identification login information.
“I noticed the that the individual was sweating and coughing,” he said. “I asked if they were okay and he said he had a cold.”
Lotin said the staff at his office was diligent with wiping down the computers, chairs and components after each candidate.
“I sanitized my hands and wiped down the pens and clipboards,” he said. “I didn’t touch my face, my eyes, nose or mouth. Unfortunately, that was not enough. It’s airborne and we all were in a closed office space without a mask and that was how I was exposed to the virus.”
Lotin’s been at the hospital since Mar. 15 receiving oxygen, and he posted a pair of videos on his Facebook page showing the very real pain that the coronavirus causes.
Thousands have viewed the videos.
“I don’t have any underlining conditions,” he said in his post. “I’m relatively healthy which was my saving grace. I’m not a smoker.”
Lotin's stepsister Carolina Montrose hopes the videos can serve as a warning for young people to heed authorities’ warnings, not go out and take the pandemic serious.
“He’s 35 and extremely healthy,” said Montrose, who lives in Montreal's Old Port. “I’ve called the police to my building twice this week because people are having parties. It’s all university kids because they’re out of school. Those people need to know that you could also be on your bed.”
Lotin’s condition is improving. He went from receiving eight litres of oxygen to four, as he recovers. The pain, however, is very real for anyone suffering the effects of the virus.
“I don’t want anyone to have to deal with this, to deal with what I’m going through,” said Lotin. “It’s so bad.”
