The public’s understanding of the purpose of Covid testing at this stage of the crisis is upside down. And it’s dangerous.
There was a time when we needed to test as many people as possible to identify, trace & contain individual cases.
In places like NYC, that time is over. 1/
There was a time when we needed to test as many people as possible to identify, trace & contain individual cases.
In places like NYC, that time is over. 1/
Because we now have “community spread” here, we are in an entirely new phase.
We are staring in the face of an epic overrunning of our healthcare system. We need to preserve EVERY element of this system for people who are acutely ill. 2/
We are staring in the face of an epic overrunning of our healthcare system. We need to preserve EVERY element of this system for people who are acutely ill. 2/
If every person who feels ill or thinks they were exposed to someone with Covid tries to get a test it will push the healthcare system to the breaking point.
At this point, testing--and the staff, facilities, and resources around it--needs to be reserved for the ACUTELY SICK. 3/
At this point, testing--and the staff, facilities, and resources around it--needs to be reserved for the ACUTELY SICK. 3/
Everyone who is mildly sick needs to stay home and self cure. And no you might not ever know for sure if you had Covid. But that information has zero practical implications for your course of treatment. Because there is no Covid treatment. 4/
To recap: We are in a whole new world of Covid testing. We are in the triage stage. All but the most sick need to get out of the way. 5/5
