Think Health Care Workers Are Tested Often For COVID-19? Think Again

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

Tweet text:
NPR
@NPR
A majority of hospital nurses said they had never been tested for the virus, a recent survey found.

The CDC's guidance? Treating COVID-19 patients while wearing PPE doesn't count as exposure that warrants testing.

Think Health Care Workers Are Tested Often For COVID-19? Think Again
A majority of hospital nurses said they had never been tested for the coronavirus, according to a recent survey. Hospitals say they are simply following the CDC's guidance.
npr.org

[jmg257]

1. Oh they are not; nurse/SIL says the avoid testing the nurses cause they don't want them out.

[dhill926]

2. oy...

[flamingdem]

3. The masks aren't good enough for them to treat without testing

Also, home health care workers are thought to get tests but aren't required to by Medicare. Their patients/at home clients - don't have to wear PPE either

https://www.registerednursing.org/cdc-estimates-nurse-healthcare-worker-covid19-cases-likely-understated/

[spinbaby]

4. I have a friend who's an ER nurse

She was feeling sick, but never got tested because she would have had to wait in line all day. She said it didn’t matter because she’d rather not know.

[cwydro]

5. I donated blood last week, and it was a horrifying experience.

No one was wearing a mask until I entered the bus. Very close quarters. They all put masks on when I came in, but come on - the virus would be in the air. No other donors...just me and about 5 of these young women.

It was overly warm, and the girl taking my blood decided to tell me every experience she’s ever had at every amusement park. Laughing continually, her mask fell down again and again. Periodically she’d pull it up.

I was freaking out, and I finally asked if they were regularly tested. She laughed and said no, but “sometimes they test us for antibodies.”

I couldn’t get out of there fast enough, and I won’t feel right until 10 days have passed.

[Aristus]

6. I've been tested six times since March.

Six negatives, thank God.

[Greybnk48]

7. Our DIL works in cardiac care and the Covid unit.

She says they walk in and have their temp taken. If no fever, no test. So anyone asymptomatic is passed through to work.

She has had one nasal test since June because of known exposure without the heavy duty PPE. Otherwise, just the temp check.

We haven't had our grandkids to our house in months. Just driveway, and outdoor walks with all of us masked.

[Midnight Writer]

8. Too bad there is not some National Pandemic Response Team that would coordinate this stuff.

Maybe the President could appoint a team of experts in the field, have them available as advisers, that could point out the weak spots like this and develop plans to plug the holes.

They could even be on call, in non pandemic times, to respond immediately to a situation. Maybe they could jump in and control the spread when there is, maybe, fifteen known cases in the country, to stop it from becoming a full blown national crisis.

They could even meet and develop a guide, a handbook, if you will, that will give a headstart to future Administrations that have to deal with this kind of situation.