Texas Gov. Abbott says thousands will get COVID-19, discusses statewide concerns in town hall kxan.com/news/coronavir…
Abbott fielded a question about when COVID-19 tests will be more widely available to Texans — to which the Governor had strong advice, saying, “There is a difference between everyone who wants a COVID-19 test and everyone who needs a COVID-19 test.”
He explained that testing supplies need to be reserved for those who need them and that the only way the disease can be properly combated is by finding it in those who actually have it.
Abbott was joined by Dr. John Hellerstedt, Texas Department of State Health Services Commissioner, who elaborated.
According to Hellerstedt, certain symptoms need to be present in patients to warrant testing.
According to Hellerstedt, certain symptoms need to be present in patients to warrant testing.
Considerations when deciding who gets tested would include symptoms, in addition to certain risk factors like age, exposure to people who have or may have COVID-19, or pervasive symptoms that can’t be pinpointed.
The governor also urged those who think they may have symptoms or even believe they do in fact have COVID-19 not to rush to the emergency room, saying:
“If you think you may have COVID-19, the worst thing you could possibly do is go to an emergency room and expose people to it.”
“If you think you may have COVID-19, the worst thing you could possibly do is go to an emergency room and expose people to it.”
Fleshing out his response about testing, Abbott explained that he himself had been tested for the disease after about a month of heavy exposure to other people, during which the coronavirus was making its way through Texas.
“I have shaken hands with or hugged or encountered thousands of Texans. I owed it to my staff, to the people of Texas, as I lead this effort to make sure I was tested,” Abbott said. “And I tested negative, which means I don’t have it.”
The governor said that through conversations with President Donald Trump and the federal government, he believes Texas is on track to be able to carry out more than 10 million tests a month soon.
