They did everything right. But after a home haircut, a man and a woman died of Covid-19

The Brunos were married for nearly six decades before dying from the virus, their son Joseph Bruno told CNN. The Chicago couple, who died ten days apart, are now among more than 337,000 people who have died of the coronavirus in the US.

Precautions fail

At the end of November, Bruno’s mother, Carol Bruno, came to his apartment with his sister so that his sister could give him a haircut. Prior to the visit, his sister, who works in a salon, had taken a Covid-19 test that came back negative. She had also been in quarantine for three to four days – a sign that the family felt it was safe to be around her.

His mother, on the other hand, hadn’t been out much at all during the pandemic.

During the visit, which lasted about 40 minutes, the Brunos wore masks and avoided hugs, Bruno explained. They also made sure that their mother was next to the windows they had opened as an extra precaution.

A day after the visit, Bruno’s sister began to show symptoms of Covid-19. Mother and son began to feel unwell soon after.

A visit turns into a tragedy

Carol Bruno, the mother, was hospitalized on Thanksgiving but was discharged that week when her condition improved. Two days later she returned to the hospital where she was given a ventilator.

Then her husband fell ill.

Mike Bruno didn’t even accompany his wife and daughter to see his son, but started to have symptoms and was hospitalized about two weeks after Thanksgiving, according to Bruno.

A day after her husband was put on a ventilator, Carol died. Nine days later, two days before Christmas, Mike followed.

All it took was a simple choice after months of caution, a choice they believed was safe.

“If I had made that sacrifice and, you know, I hadn’t spent 30-40 minutes with my mom, they would still be there,” Bruno said.

Correction: An earlier version of this story misrepresented the total death toll from the U.S. coronavirus.