OP ~ getting back to your original post:
As a society we need to know. You should be outraged. Personally, it doesn't nothing for you to know. You act the same anyway. And when/if you or someone is your family needs ER attention, you seek it - and it doesn't matter if COVID is diagnosed. |
I'm not sure why you all thought the US was EVER going to be able to test every single one of us once, if not more than once. That simply isn't feasible, but more importantly NOT LOGICAL.
How many of us have gone to the doctor and gotten a negative flu test, and then told "it's just a random virus, go home"? They don't test for any and all viruses. You know why? Because it doesn't make sense to. Guess what South Korea has found out from all their testing? MOST people test negative. If every Larla on DCUM was given free access to tests, they'd be testing once a day and draining valuable resources. I'd rather these people be working toward a vaccine/treatment than a damn test. Oh and for those of you who are saying a test would change your behavior.... you're being told that if you are sick, act like you have it. That's your cue to change your damn behavior, ffs. Listen. |
Yes... OP do you have a primary care physician? Mine emailed all patients last night and said they are able to test if they determine it’s needed. I hope people are checking with their PCPs before going to the ED. Unless it’s an urgent or life threatening emergency, your PCP should always manage your medical care. Same with pediatricians. You shouldn’t ever be in a position of calling around to hospitals for tests. Also, if you don’t have a PCP, hopefully this is a good wake up call to inspire people to find and see one regularly. Absolutely not trying to minimize or criticize anyone, but this is the way our health care system is designed to work (and I think it’s a good thing). |
No one said they expected everyone in the country to be tested multiple times. But if someone feels sick or Los in close contAct with a positive person, there should be enough tests. There’s not. |
If you’re not that sick STAY HOME. |
+1 Yes, this was covered by the experts months ago. We need to test people presenting with symptoms. Contact tracing for positive results. And testing those people. Drive through testing beyond that would be great to diagnose people with mild symptoms. We aren’t even doing the first thing. It’s ridiculous that the experts have been pushing this for MONTHS and we still are so far behind. |
A Chicago suburban hospital has just made its own tests that give results in hours. Go Evanston!
https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2020/03/16/coronavirus-test-developed-and-available-at-evanston-hospital-with-results-in-just-hours/ |
Awesome!! Please share with other hospitals!! |
My BIL is a doctor in NYC. His colleague tested positive and BIL is showing symptoms. He was supposed to get tested today but there are no tests. He was sent home and assumed to have it. He had a fever over the weekend and probably has it but he won’t be in any statistics. These numbers are so underreported.
I’m not that worried about BIL. He is young and healthy. I worry about the number of people who are infected and can’t get tested. I thought it was supposed to be healthcare professionals and elderly high risk first. Guess young doctors not included. |
My aunt is a physician in West Virginia and one of her colleagues is pretty sure she has the virus and she was not able to get tested- this is someone who is a healthcare provider and needs to tell people IMMEDIATELY that she has it but she has no information. |
They don’t do in depth contact tracing once there is community spread. |
Hopkins already has developed a similar test. |
To pp’s who said you can get tested now: not in dc. They’re still demanding proof of exposure to someone who has tested positive and/or the combination of all of these: travel to China (not even Italy) in the last couple of weeks + high fever, and according to one dc doh official I spoke with, respiratory distress. We just left our doctor after being there all morning. We were just out of state 3 weeks ago with known exposure. Couldn’t get tested because “14 day had passed.” So there’s also time frame restrictions. Yes, we’re symptomatic (of course). Without more tests, the angels of our health care system are scared to risk wasting a single one. That means no testing, basically. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating, the doctors are doing their best, and they have no ability to do what they would do for any other disease that is testable: test.
He told us if we were residents of another state we might fare slightly better. This is horrific, and dc seems even more horrific than other places. We are flying completely blind. I’m appalled by those who say this doesn’t matter anyway. For my own sanity, I’m trying to tell myself that we’re all operating in different stages of grief, moment to moment. Clearly many are still in the first stage. |
Age? What other illnesses do you have? |
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