So fun fact, I actually got firsthand experience with this today. My girlfriend is sick and we went to our primary care doctor. They didn’t even finish intake, the nurse stepped out and came back in with a mask on and told us we had to go to the hospital.
We were told they had a tent set up outside and the test would happen in your car. We get to the hospital, no tent. Call the hospital: “oh, we don’t have that, here’s our hotline number”.
Hotline number says they have a tent and the test will happen in your car. Then went back to the operator again, who then went over the symptoms my girlfriend has and contact history and then forwarded us to the county health department.
Health department goes over her symptoms and travel/contact history (she hasn’t been in contact with a confirmed case or with someone who’s traveled internationally), and then state that they don’t think she should be tested as there’s no evidence of community spread in the county.
All of this because she has a cough that we think is from a cold or pneumonia.
This is exactly why testing needs to be widespread and an exact process set up.
1. The hospital’s own hotline contradicted reality
2. The county health department disagreed with the doctor on the necessity of a test
3. The county health department was stating there’s no evidence of community spread, which I have zero f***ing clue how they can tell that if they’re not testing anyone who can’t 1000% confirm they’ve been in contact with a confirmed case
4. This kept her from being able to see a doctor for her actual health issue. They called in a prescription but they did not actually see her or diagnose her.
This is going to cost us lives. We’re in our 20’s so our risk is low, but if this happens to people with major health issues, they will not get the care that they need.
