Terminalxylem
Footballguy
Like everything COVID, the CDC testing guidelines are changing rapidly. There are basically three categories of patients who will be tested as it stands: fever + respiratory symptoms and either A. Recent travel to a high-risk area. B. Recent contact with a documented infection or C. Severe illness warranting hospitalization + exclusion of flu and other causes of pneumonia/ respiratory infection/ARDS.Generally I don’t think that they’re testing unless you are in a high risk category. I know of someone in the NYC area that doesn’t fall under a high risk category that almost certainly has it and they won’t test him. And this person has plenty of money and a very influential/high powered job, so it’s not that he’s a nobody.
As soon as more private tests are developed and approved, I'm sure testing will be liberalized.
Loosely related, compassionate use Remdesivir (one potential antiviral therapy) is limited to confirmed cases requiring mechanical ventilation.