Woman From Seattle Tries Getting Tested For Coronavirus And Her Story Exposes How Unprepared The USA Is
With the new coronavirus continuing to spread across the world, some people are, without a doubt, fearing for the health and safety of themselves and their loved ones. So naturally, when someone believes they have all the symptoms of the illness (fever, cough, shortness of breath), they want to reach out to health professionals and get tested.
When one woman living in Seattle, Washington, tried to get tested for the coronavirus, she ran into roadblock after roadblock.
She documented her frustrating experience on Twitter where it went viral as people couldn’t believe the responses that she got from healthcare professionals. Scroll down to read Sketchy Lady’s story in her own words. And let us know if you’ve run into similar situations.
More info: Twitter
126 people are infected with the new coronavirus in the US…
Image credits: Masa Israel Journey (not the actual photo)
…and one woman who had all the symptoms tried to get tested to see if she has Covid-19. Here’s her story
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The New York Times writes that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “botched its first attempt to mass produce a diagnostic test kit, a discovery made only after officials had shipped hundreds of kits to state laboratories.”
“A promised replacement took several weeks, and still did not permit state and local laboratories to make final diagnoses. And the CDC essentially ensured that Americans would be tested in very few numbers by imposing stringent and narrow criteria, critics say.” In other words, this might explain part of the reason why not every case of suspected infection is tested in the US.
The global response to the health crisis has had varying degrees of success in different countries. For instance, if you watch John Oliver’s Last Week Tonight, then you’ll know that Vietnam has an amazing and effective handwashing commercial.
As John pointed out, it’s best to react to the crisis somewhere between apathy and total panic. In other words, wash your hands often, stay vigilant, but don’t buy up all the food at your local grocery store.
Meanwhile, at the time of writing, CNN reports that there are 126 people infected with Covid-19 in the US. 9 people have died from the illness—all of them in Washington state. California and Washington both have the most cases, with 27 people infected.
The situation in some other countries is far worse. South Korea reported 516 new confirmed cases of people infected with the virus on Wednesday. The country has 5,328 infected; 33 have died from the virus, according to the BBC.
Meanwhile, the WHO states that Covid-19 is most dangerous to those over 60, who have preexisting health concerns and are already ill. That’s not to say that you get a free pass if you’re young and fit, but you are in a better position to weather the storm.
Some people shared similar experiences and pointed out flaws in the system
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Some Twitter users blamed the government
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Others explained how their countries are dealing with the health crisis
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I came back from an overseas trip a couple of weeks ago with a very high fever. Long story short, I called the free NHS 111 service to discuss my symptoms. They took my history and sent an ambulance for me. The guy in the back of the ambulance was fully kitted up with protective equipment. At the hospital, I was securely transferred to an isolation ward. I was given a ton of blood tests, including coronavirus. I was monitored constantly until the results came back. I did not have coronavirus, but I had a very contagious bird flu variant virus. Once I stopped getting fevers, they went over safety protocols with me and allowed me to go home and self-isolate for a further 10 days, with Tamiflu, which I did. I got immediate help, excellent care and everybody knew what they were doing, and I paid nothing out of pocket. This is why I won't hear a word against the wonderful employees of the UK;s National Health Service.
This is why I love the UK NHS. They are under staffed, under paid and under immense pressure but they still manage to treat us like humans and take care of us.
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One problem with all of this is that the symptoms are pretty near to every other disease like bronchitis and so on. Without the tests how would you actually know for sure?
What makes COVID-19 challenging is the obvious issues of authorities on the one hand yet the hystery of many people and the media on the other. You find all kind of articles that essentially are written like "Just wash your hands. Mild symptoms in most people. WE WILL ALL DIE, FLEE AS LONG AS YOU MAY. There is no need to worry." In my neighbourhood, shops have been solf out for long-lasting groceries. Doctors cannot shop for disinfectants since normal people bought them by the barrel. This is absurd behaviour.
In my country people bought face masks and disinfectants in bulk until they created a shortage and are now selling them for a profit. The government hasn't tried doing anything to tackle the issue. People suck.
Load More Replies...
I came back from an overseas trip a couple of weeks ago with a very high fever. Long story short, I called the free NHS 111 service to discuss my symptoms. They took my history and sent an ambulance for me. The guy in the back of the ambulance was fully kitted up with protective equipment. At the hospital, I was securely transferred to an isolation ward. I was given a ton of blood tests, including coronavirus. I was monitored constantly until the results came back. I did not have coronavirus, but I had a very contagious bird flu variant virus. Once I stopped getting fevers, they went over safety protocols with me and allowed me to go home and self-isolate for a further 10 days, with Tamiflu, which I did. I got immediate help, excellent care and everybody knew what they were doing, and I paid nothing out of pocket. This is why I won't hear a word against the wonderful employees of the UK;s National Health Service.
This is why I love the UK NHS. They are under staffed, under paid and under immense pressure but they still manage to treat us like humans and take care of us.
Load More Replies... One problem with all of this is that the symptoms are pretty near to every other disease like bronchitis and so on. Without the tests how would you actually know for sure?
What makes COVID-19 challenging is the obvious issues of authorities on the one hand yet the hystery of many people and the media on the other. You find all kind of articles that essentially are written like "Just wash your hands. Mild symptoms in most people. WE WILL ALL DIE, FLEE AS LONG AS YOU MAY. There is no need to worry." In my neighbourhood, shops have been solf out for long-lasting groceries. Doctors cannot shop for disinfectants since normal people bought them by the barrel. This is absurd behaviour.
In my country people bought face masks and disinfectants in bulk until they created a shortage and are now selling them for a profit. The government hasn't tried doing anything to tackle the issue. People suck.
Load More Replies...
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