So I have decided to make my situation public. I am not in critical condition and am stable, but since about Feb. 23rd have been very sick with the symptoms of #COVID19 minus a high fever. My boyfriend first got sick with these symptoms on Feb. 21st and we are both still ill
2/ We are in Boston, near Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). We have not been able to get tested for COVID19 at MGH unless we are apparently in critical condition (ICU). Also I have a history of responding poorly to viral infections which is not making the situation easier.
3/ My boyfriend and I have self-quarantined ourselves in our apartment since Feb. 23rd. Today my boyfriend called his internist and said has the COVID19 symptoms. After a phone screen they told him to come in to the office. He went there wearing no mask because we don’t have one.
4/ They gave him a mask and after long periods sitting in the waiting room w/ other patients coughing who also think they have COVID19 he was finally told he can’t be tested because he has not been in direct contact with someone who has COVID19.
Instead of going directly home, they gave him a script for an inhaler and told him to go to CVS. The situation is ridiculous. Why did his internist’s office have someone with COVID19 symptoms come in, not test him, and then send him to a crowded pharmacy? I am very angry
6/ Again I should clarify that we don't know if we have COVID19. But it's not knowing that is starting to drive me a bit crazy. It's hard to read about the virus/deaths etc and not have info on my own case. It's also hard to know what measures of precaution to take around others
7/ Lastly I should clarify this is not the fault of infectious disease MDs or others at MGH (several of whom I work with directly on research projects and are amazing!) It is because MGH doesn't have the testing capacity they need yet thanks to the federal government.
8/ I want to clarify that my boyfriend’s internist is NOT at MGH (it’s a separate practice). My tweets are also not meant to criticize MGH - only to raise awareness of how difficult the general testing situation is in Boston for COVID19
Update: We are feeling a bit better (knock on wood!) but have still not been able to get an 100% clear answer on whether our internist can test for #COVID19 via Quest/Lapcorp here in Boston.
2/ However while we wait, Life Hope Labs in Atlanta Georgia overnighted us a nasopharyngeal swab test kit for the viruses’ genetic material. We are waiting for FedEx to collect our samples and send them back to Atlanta for analysis! 
