MADISON, Conn. (WTNH) — A Connecticut resident who spent days in the New Rochelle, New York, containment zone says she’s showing signs of coronavirus but can’t get anyone to test her for the illness.
After returning home to Madison, Karen Siclari said she, “started out with fever and aches.”
Siclari said she contacted the State Department of Public Health but was told she did not fit the guidelines for testing. She said her primary care doctor referred her to a Yale New Haven Health COVID-19 hotline, and after a day of back and forth, Siclari said she was told she would not be tested.
She felt she was putting others at risk, despite her self-quarantine.
“My husband wanted me to get tested because he has someone he works with who has a compromised immune system,” explained Siclari.
Her husband’s coworker is recovering from cancer, and Siclari’s son attends a local college that has not yet canceled in-person classes.
The Governor’s office said no state has the capacity to test everyone who is showing symptoms. Their test kits come from the federal government, and so far, state authorities have only received two kits.
The testing issue was a focal point of an afternoon press conference Wednesday. The state epidemiologist, Dr. Matthew Cartter made it clear that the State DPH will only test hospitalized patients.
Cartter says anyone in the Southwestern part of the state who is showing symptoms such as fever and cough should assume they are infected with COVID-19.
“This is taking all the resources of our lab. The focus is to keep the hospitals open. Protect our health care workers,” said Cartter.
Said Siclari: “After many phone calls, I realized there isn’t any testing available in Connecticut unless, of course, someone is hospitalized and really, really ill. Fortunately, I’m just home and sick.”
Cartter put partial blame on the New York State Department of Health, which he says is sending mixed messages to Connecticut residents who work or travel in New York. New York has a higher capacity for testing than Connecticut.
“They are recommending Connecticut residents to be tested who do not have symptoms, and telling Connecticut residents to go back to Connecticut to get a test. They’re in a different place than we are,” he said.
Cartter said he has been in touch with New York State health officials.
In a statement, Yale New Haven Health reiterated Cartter’s sentiments, that they are not testing patients with no or low-risk exposure per CDC guidelines:
However, family doctors WTNH spoke with Wednesday say they’re seeing private labs like Quest Diagnostics get their testing process going.