You're right about the brightness of the line. At least, this guy did not think for a minute that he was home free, he knew way better than that! He was worried as all get out and taking his temp all the time.

You really aren't contagious till you have a fever, we do know that, and especially since the wife and kiddies of the Dallas case didn't get it living with him being already horribly ill, NYC really shouldn't worry about what he did before he had a fever, which he called in instantly.