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NBC doctor, expert recovering in hospital from COVID-19, believe he was infected on flight

NBC contributor Dr. Joseph Fair, whose expertise has been featured on NBC Nightly News through the course of the coronavirus pandemic, is himself recovering from the virus in a New Orleans hospital. He believes he contracted the virus through his eyes on a crowded flight.

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NBC contributor Dr. Joseph Fair

NBC contributor Dr. Joseph Fair, whose expertise has been featured on NBC Nightly News through the course of the coronavirus pandemic, is himself recovering from the virus in a New Orleans hospital.

On Twitter, Fair shared that he had taken what he calls “max precautions” but still got sick.

"I'm on the other end of it, but not our the woods yet," Fair said, posting a photo of himself in a hospital bed with oxygen mask.

Fair said Thursday during an interview on the "TODAY" show that he believes he contracted the virus through his eyes on a crowded flight.

The 42-year-old virologist and epidemiologist, who has responded to multiple outbreaks around the world, got sick about three days after a flight to his home in New Orleans.

"I had a mask on, I had gloves on, I did my normal wipes routine ... but obviously, you can still get it through your eyes," Fair told "TODAY" from his hospital bed. "And of course I wasn’t wearing goggles on the flight."

In an interview from the hospital with NBC's Dr. John Torres, Fair said, "Don't be in a hurry to open up. ...I am a healthy 42 year old. I can run 5 to 10 miles with no problem. I'm very healthy in normal conditions. But you can hear me. I can barely breathe."

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