MIAMI (WSVN) - Although the state of Florida said they are equipped to meet potential testing demand for the coronavirus, some sick South Floridians have said it is extremely difficult to get tested for the virus.
Peggy, a South Floridian, has had a cough and ran a fever of 103 degrees, so this week, she has isolated herself away from her pets and has been calling her general practitioner and local hospitals.
“I don’t really know what I am supposed to do,” she said. “Nobody wants to see me. Nobody wants to collect a sample. I’m kinda stuck. I do want to get tested because I want to know if I have it or not.”
However, she has not been able to take a COVID-19 test.
The same applies for Kasey Denesevich, who lives in Sunrise. Denesevich said he has had trouble breathing this week and has tested negative for the flu, but he struggled to get a COVID-19 test because of what his doctor and the hospitals he called told him.
“Unfortunately, you’re not what we consider an at-risk patient, so right now, we don’t have the testing available,” he said.
In a statement released to 7News, Florida’s task force to combat the coronavirus said in part, “The State ordered an additional 2,500 test kits to supplement the adequate resources already available to test for COVID-19. These additional test kits will enable the Department of Health, working with Florida health care providers, to test up to an additional 625,000 individuals.”
As of Friday afternoon, there have only been 3,416 COVID-19 tests done in Florida, and while in South Florida on Thursday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis admitted that at least, right now, testing capacity was still lacking.
“Because the resources are still limited, this is initially going to focus on two main groups of people,” DeSantis said, “those are the healthcare workers, and the other group that is going to be the focus will be those senior citizens 65 and over.”
Denesevich said, “I should be lower on the priority, and I’m OK with that, but does that make our response to this OK as a country?”
Because of a personal connection, Denesevich was just tested at a private lab and is awaiting results.
This weekend, Peggy has an appointment at Broward Health and hopes she’ll be swabbed there for COVID-19.
“Yes, we definitely need more tests, and it is kinda sad,” Peggy said. “Honestly, this is the United States.”
When it comes to who can and cannot get tested, the state has sent out guidance to healthcare providers across the state.
However, it is just guidance, and the ultimate decision is made by healthcare facilities that have the test.
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