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Woman isolates in aircraft washroom after testing positive mid-flight
6th of January 2022
A US schoolteacher spent five hours self-isolating in an aircraft toilet after testing positive for Covid-19 on board.
Marisa Fotieo had twice tested negative before boarding her pre-Christmas flight from Chicago to Reykjavik. But when she developed a sore throat during the journey, she headed for the toilet to take a third test.
When this proved positive she alerted the cabin crew, and between them they agreed that she should spent the next five hours self-isolating in the toilet. "There were 150 people on the flight, and my biggest fear was giving it to them," said Fotieo.
Flight attendant Ragnhildur Eiríksdóttir made regular checks on the Covid-positive passenger during the flight, bringing food and water to the aircraft lavatory.
"I can't believe I spent four hours in that bathroom, but you've got to do what you've got to do," said Fotieo in her TikTok video which was viewed more than four million times.
The teacher was on her way to Europe with her brother and father when she tested positive. On leaving the aircraft she was taken to the Red Cross Humanitarian Hotel in Reykjavik where she self-isolated for 10 days at no charge.
She praised Icelandair for her "VIP quarantine quarters" and complimented the flight crew, who later sent Fotieo a small lighted Christmas tree plus some gifts to her hotel.
Her family, who tested negative, continued on to Switzerland before returning to Iceland to be with Fotieo for their last few days' holiday before flying back to the US.
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