MIAMI (WSVN) - A South Florida doctor who has tested positive for COVID-19 is concerned about who will be able to tend to ill patients while he is under quarantine.
Dr. John Childress, an E.R. doctor, is home sick and away from the hospital where he was helping treat cases of coronavirus.
Childress said, “I’ve been in quarantine since last, probably, Wednesday when I decided that I was getting sicker, and it was a possible diagnosis.”
Childress has been sick for over a week and found out Thursday that he tested positive for the virus.
Childress spoke of his symptoms, saying, “Super fatigued, shortness of breath was profound. I’ve never felt that I’ve had the flu. I’ve had bronchitis; I’ve never felt this amount of shortness of breath.”
He also said he was worried about more doctors being forced out of hospitals and into quarantine. “That is our biggest fear. It’s kind of scary as a health care worker because we’re taught to go work like through all things. I’ve worked with everything you can imagine. I’ve had I.V.s and am working. You know, we take care of people, so for us to not go in is a big deal.”
Childress said he has had other colleagues test positive and said they have all had a hard time getting tested.
“I had already called on my own to the health department, and they said we’re sorry, but we don’t have enough kits, and you don’t qualify for getting tested, and we recommend you quarantine. I’m an emergency physician, and I need to be working. I’m on the front line, and if I can’t go back to work who takes care of people.”
Childress wants people to not be selfish and self isolate.
Doctors have been posting viral photos urging people to stay home while they remain at work.
Childress continued, “If the health care workers are sick, and we all go out, who’s going to take care of people when they go in? And people have to take some responsibility for their own actions now because it’s not just you. You’re affecting everyone in your family and all of your close contacts. This is a very contagious virus.”
Childress said that despite all of his symptoms, he has not yet developed a fever.
He insisted that as soon as his symptoms have subsided for 72 hours he will return to work to continue assisting in the treatment for those infected with COVID-19.
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