Indianapolis Star’s Zach Osterman reveals he’s under quarantine after cough and fever that could be coronavirus

We’ve seen several athletes test positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus, including three NBA players, and now we’re seeing some impacts in the media. Carolina Hurricanes’ broadcaster John Forslund self-quarantined after staying in a room formerly occupied by Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (who has tested positive), while Washington Wizards’ broadcaster Justin Kutcher also self-quarantined following the Wizards’ game against the Jazz. And Indianapolis Star reporter Zach Osterman revealed Saturday that he’s in quarantine following some troubling symptoms.

I've been under quarantine since yesterday. About a week ago, I developed a cough. It was sinusy, and it's that time of year. Still, I kept a close eye on my temperature, and began running a low one Wednesday afternoon. That's why I wasn't at the IU-Nebraska game. /2

— Zach Osterman (@ZachOsterman) March 14, 2020

He can't order a test for COVID-19, unless my symptoms are serious (which, to stress, they're not; I am *fine*). But that means no one is doing contact tracing, to figure out where I might have contracted it or taken it. I've done my best, but I'm sure it's been imperfect. /4

— Zach Osterman (@ZachOsterman) March 14, 2020

The best my doctor, who I've seen for years, could tell me is that he thinks "there's a really good chance" this is COVID-19. Caution is literally our best weapon right now. Personal responsibility is how we look out for one another. /7

— Zach Osterman (@ZachOsterman) March 14, 2020

There’s more in Osterman’s thread, and it’s an interesting overall look at one person’s experience with something that might or might not be this virus. And with the ongoing issues with testing in the U.S., there may soon be plenty in his shoes. NBA teams have shown an ability to get tests faster than the rest of the population, but many sports media members probably won’t be able to do that. It’s good to hear that Osterman’s symptoms don’t seem to be troubling him too much, but his case is certainly a good look at how this may impact people, so it’s certainly valuable to see him sharing his experience here. And like him, many of those people may not be able to find out if what’s bothering them is actually coronavirus or not.

[Zach Osterman on Twitter]