The Star will regularly check in with Coun. Josh Matlow, who is self-isolating at home after a potential exposure to COVID-19, to see how he’s faring and what he’s learning about the fight to contain the outbreak.

Things were going about as well as they could be for Josh Matlow on Tuesday — that is, for a person now stuck in his basement, isolated from his family, friends and the communities he’s so active in as a city councillor.

“Josh’s isolation room, how can I help you?” he said with good humour as he answered his phone Tuesday.

The Toronto city councillor for Ward 12 (Toronto-St. Paul’s) went into-self isolation on Monday as a precaution — and on the advice of public health officials — after learning that a man with whom he’d been in contact was confirmed to have COVID-19. The unidentified man had been to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference in Washington, D.C. where there were several reported cases of attendees having the virus, before greeting Matlow on March 5 at a fundraiser at the Beth Sholom synagogue on Eglinton Ave. W.

Matlow became the first known case of an elected official in Toronto who is self-isolating. On Tuesday, he was showing no symptoms and his body temperature was normal.

“I’m well, I really am, even in spirits,” he said by phone from the basement of his midtown home, where he will remain confined for the next 10 days.

Matlow was still working by phone, including efforts to prevent the closure of a beloved children's’ bookstore in his ward after his office had to cancel a public meeting scheduled Tuesday night. He also checked in with a public health nurse, and said he had taken 6,799 steps by mid-afternoon.

“I am literally walking in circles as you and I speak,” said the councillor, who can often be seen walking laps of the upper level of the council chamber at city hall during meetings.

His said his first 24 hours in isolation were mostly adjusting to being out of contact with his wife, Melissa, and their 7-year-old daughter, Molly, who remain living in a separate area of their home.

Logistics included getting gloves and masks (a neighbour already had some and dropped them off), a thermometer and other personal items like toothpaste.

Matlow’s wife gathered what he needed and dropped the items off at the top of the basement stairs before calling down to him and retreating. His first meal Monday night was delivered the same way. He retrieves all things left for him on the landing wearing a mask and gloves.

The basement is finished and fortunately has a bathroom, Matlow said. There are drawings by his daughter all over the walls, which he described as his own personal art gallery and something that’s bringing him comfort.

Matlow said Toronto Public Health provided instructions on how to properly self-isolate, which he said he is “following to a T.” A public health nurse is also assigned to check daily on whether he has any symptoms, such as coughing or muscle aches, and to answer any questions.

“I can’t express how wonderful that nurse was and how supportive their whole public health team has been,” he said.

There wasn’t any time to get bored on Day 1, he said. He’s not the type to binge on Netflix shows, and he hadn’t turned the television on yet. He has a TRX exercise machine in the basement that will help him to keep active.

Being physically apart from his family has already been hard, he said, but he can still hear his wife and daughter upstairs. He’s also been texting and speaking on the phone with Melissa.

Matlow said he didn’t know if he’s allowed to go out in his backyard when no one else is home, but said he won’t be leaving the basement without specific directions from public health officials. He said he also doesn’t want to worry neighbours.

Matlow said he understands that COVID-19 has many people scared for themselves and their families, including those tweeting about his attendance at the Ontario Liberal Party leadership convention last weekend.

“I understand why they would think of those things because I thought of those things too,” he said. “I thought about everywhere I’d been.”

Public health officials have told him there is no elevated risk to people he has come into contact with since Thursday.

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If someone is confirmed to have the virus, Toronto Public Health would track where they’ve been and who they’ve come in contact with over the past 24 hours, spokesperson Lenore Bromley told the Star.

There’s currently no information that the virus is spreading locally, Bromley confirmed Tuesday.

Matlow said his situation is “unusual and difficult,” but wanted to reassure people that they are “not going to prison” if they end up having to follow similar advice to self-isolate, which he called a “responsible decision.”

And, he said, “I look forward to getting back into the world eventually.”