HOMER GLEN, IL — Homer Glen resident Gail Egan, her sister and a friend hope they will soon be heading back to Illinois after being in quarantine for two weeks. The three Chicago-area residents were all passengers on the Grand Princess Cruise ship where 21 people onboard tested positive for the new coronavirus.

The cruise docked March 9 in Oakland, California. Egan said the cruise passengers were taken to different locations, but she and about 500 passengers were taken to Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Georgia to stay in barracks there. Canada and the United Kingdom chartered planes to take their citizens home for quarantine.

Egan, her sister and two friends arrived at Dobbins on March 14. One of Egan’s friends, an Indiana resident, was sent to quarantine in her home state. But Egan, her sister and her other friend were told they would be staying in Georgia in the Dobbins barracks.

Egan described the conditions in the barracks as “gross.”

“There is no way we should’ve been sent here before it was cleaned out,” Egan said. She said the base was dusty and dirty, and had no supplies when they first arrived. The passengers received their luggage from the ship after six days, and some had to wear the same clothes for several days.

As time passed, however, Egan said conditions have improved.

“The worst is over,” she said, adding that the people working at the base have made a huge difference.

“The people here could not be nicer,” Egan said. “They have treated us so well.”

Egan said those in quarantine can still go outside and take daily walks, play games and keep busy.

“Princess Cruises has also been unbelievable,” Egan said, adding that the cruise line has reimbursed everyone on the cruise and issued a voucher for another cruise at a later day.

“They have gone above and beyond,” Egan said, adding that the cruise line is also paying for flights home from Georgia.

Some states have retrieved their residents, but Egan said 31 Illinoisans, as well as residents from other states, stayed in Georgia for quarantine.

Egan, her sister and her friend were tested for the coronavirus a few days ago and are awaiting results. If the three are all negative, they are set to fly home to Illinois on Thursday. If one of them tests positive, however, then all three will have to stay for another two weeks in Georgia.

“We’re very optimistic,” Egan said. “We’re feeling good.”

Egan said she is unbelievably grateful for the support from her community back home. She said people reached out to her asking how they could help or if they could send care packages or supplies.

“It kept us going,” she said.

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