Former Waren mayor and state Rep. Gregg Reep tells me his wife contracted coronavirus on a European trip and the rest of his family, quarantined in Warren, has been receiving abuse on social media.

Reep’s wife, Beverly, 62, is in ICU at St. Vincent Infirmary Medical Center. She’s on a ventilator and in stable condition, he said.

Reep, 65, and his wife; son, Rob, and daughter-in-law Jessie, departed for London and Paris March 5 on a trip arranged by his wife as a family Christmas present.


The coronavirus problem was known then, but there were no orders limiting travel. “We were trying to be cautious,” he said. By the time of their return March 12, they were even more cautious. They carried disinfectant wipes to rub down plane seats. When they arrived in Atlanta, it was before any orders applied to returning travelers. They weren’t questioned or checked for temperature. None in the family had symptoms of illness.

Even so, Reep said, the family took precautions back home to act in a way approaching self-quarantine. They mostly stayed home in their nearby houses. He said they may have purchased a takeout meal a couple of times. They made one grocery store trip last Saturday, at 5 a.m., so few people would be present. They didn’t reopen their store on Main Street. “We did everything we possibly could, obviously it wasn’t good enough.”


Sunday, Beverly Reep began feeling ill and vomiting. She didn’t develop a fever, Reep said. She saw a doctor, who referred her to the local hospital, which ordered the transfer to St. Vincent. She’s diabetic with other health issues, “so naturally we are really concerned.” He and his son and wife are quarantined at homes in Warren. They speak with doctors on the phone. Her ability to communicate is limited by the ventilator.

That is bad enough. “But then it blew up here locally,” Reep said.

Facebook began exploding with comments critical of the Reep family. He said the comments included erroneous claims that he was thrown out of a coffee shop when he refused to leave and that a local substance abuse agency had to shut down. It’s had a harsh effect on his son’s businesses, which includes the local new site, Saline River Chronicle. A commenter claimed other businesses are being harmed because of rumors the Reeps might have been in their shops (which they had not).

A relative of a local politician was among those criticizing the Reeps, Reep said.


As with nearly everything today, political tribalism emerged. Said Reep, who was a Democratic legislator: “They’re basically saying we’re contaminating the folks down here and that people who don’t like Trump are causing this kind of problem.”

With his sick wife in Little Rock, “It’s torture being down here,” Reep said. “I want to assure you we are not out to contaminate anyone.”

UPDATE: March 30, she remained hospitalized. And Gregg Reep remained quarantined in Warren.

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