"We are not powerless" without ability for testing for COVID-19 in Erie County

"We are not powerless" without ability for testing for COVID-19 in Erie County

TO THE REST OF THECATHOLICHEALTHCARENETWORK.MEANTIME, THEABILITY TO CONFIRMCASES OF COVID-19ACROSS THE REGION-- IS COMING TO AGRINDING HALT.

ERIECOUNTY'S PUBLICHEALTH LAB HAS NOMORE AVAILABLE TESTKITSBUT THE HEALTHCOMMISSIONER SAYSTHAT DOESN'T MEANTHE COUNTY ISPOWERLESS TO FIGHTTHE SPREAD OF THEVIRUS.7 EYEWITNESS NEWSREPORTER MADISONCARTER SHOWS USWHAT PEOPLE AREDOING WHO NOWCAN'T GET A TEST.20-YEAR-OLDBENJAMIN SZYMANSKIHAS BEEN HOMESINCE MONDAY WHENHE STARTED FEELINGSICK AT WORK.HE CALLED HISDOCTOR AND THEYRAN SOME TESTS.THEY DID THE FLUTEST, STREP TESTBOTH WERE NEGATIVE.TUESDAY -- HE MADE ACALL TO URGENTCARE AFTER HESTARTED TO COUGH,AND HAVE A HARDTIME BREATHING.THEY DIDN'T THINKTHAT MY SYMPTOMSWERE BAD ENOUGH TOBE TESTED BECAUSE IDIDN'T HAVE A FEVER.WEDNESDAY -- HE WASTHE ONE THAT GOT ACALL...I GOT A MESSAGEFROM ONE OF MYFRIENDS WHO I HADRECENTLY SEEN INOHIO SAYING THAT HEHAD RECENTLY TESTEDPOSITIVE.IT WAS THE SAME DAYTHE COUNTYANNOUNCED ITDOESN'T HAVE THESUPPLIES TO TESTNEW CASES.THE LADY I WAS ONTHE PHONE WITHSTARTED TO TELL METHAT THEY WILL BEDOING TESTING IFTHEY GET MORE TESTKITS, THE WAY SHESAID "IF" MADE ME ALITTLE BITCONCERNED, BUT I'MASSUMING THAT SHEMEANT WHEN.IT'S THE STATE THATCONTROLS WHERETHE SUPPLIES AREDISTRIBUTED ANDRIGHT NOW.

MORETHAN HALF THESTATE'S 41-HUNDREDCASES ARE IN NEWYORK CITY.BUT -- THE COUNTYEXECUTIVE IS AIRINGHIS FRUSTRATIONSWITH "WASHINGTON".WE ARE UNDER THEASSUMPTION AND DOKNOW THAT THE WHITEHOUSE TURNED DOWNTHE WHO'S OFFER TOPROVIDE TESTING KITSTO THE UNITED STATESSO WE CAN BECOMEPREPARED WHY THEYDID THAT YOU'D HAVETO ASK THAT QUESTIONTO THE PRESIDENT.DR. BURSTEIN SAYSEVEN THOUGH WEDON'T HAVE THEABILITY TO TEST, WESTILL ARE GETTINGINFORMATION FROMTHE STATE ANDNATIONAL TRENDS.NO MATTER WHAT THENUMBERS ARE WEKNOW THAT WE'RESTILL GOING UP.

THEIMPORTANT THING ISKNOWING WHEN WE'REAT OUR PEAK ANDCOMING DOWN ANDTHATS INFORMATIONWE CAN USE TO GUIDEOUR BEHAVIORS.BENJAMIN SAYS HE'SGOING TO STAY INISOLATION AND KEEPMONITORING HISSYMPTOMS UNTIL HEIS ABLE TO GET A TESTAT THERECOMMENDATION OFTHE HEALTHDEPARTMENT.DURING TODAY'SUPDATE DR. BURSTEINSAID THERE AREGUIDELINES THECOUNTY IS PROVIDINGTO PEOPLE WHO FEELTHEY HAVE SYMPTOMSBUT CAN'T GETCONFIRMATION...WEARE WAITING FOR HEROFFICE TO SENDTHOSE GUIDELINES TOUS AND WE'LL POSTTHEM ONLINE FORYOU AT WKBW.COMMC, 7EWN.