Providence, Rhode Island – Places have been opened in the United States where people arrive in their cars and from there, without getting out of the car, they can be tested for coronaviruses, similar to the self-service to buy hamburgers.
But like the rest of the United States’ response to the pandemic, the system is riddled with inconsistencies, delays, and shortages. Many people who have symptoms and a medical order have waited hours or days for a test.
More than a week after President Donald Trump promised that states and stores like Walmart and CVS would open self-service test centers, few sites are operational and not yet open to the general public. Some states are allowing the private sector to open trial locations; Others are coordinating the effort through state health departments.
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Patients complained that they have had to overcome bureaucratic hurdles and wait days for the test, then wait even longer for a result. Some test centers closed shortly after opening due to a shortage of supplies and personnel. And although care in self-service centers is generally orderly, there have been long lines in some.
Slow progress in testing for COVID-19 disease and the irregular nature of the system makes it difficult for public health authorities to track the spread of the disease and control it.
“We need to conduct more comprehensive testing to fully understand the extent of the public health situation we face,” said Joseph Wendelken, spokesman for the Rhode Island Department of Health.
Dr. Brett Giroir, the federal health official charged with overseeing the tests, said in a White House briefing on Saturday that about 195,000 people have been tested so far, but that figure does not include some who have been tested. carried out tests in private laboratories.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more serious illnesses, including pneumonia.
