Hits or Misses: Californians describe a very different COVID-19 test experience. Lost coast outpost

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It’s a new conversation starter: have you been tested?

Was it difficult to make a reservation? How fast did the results come out?

Many have frustrated because Californians are in a hurry to take tests to reassure themselves and their families, so they haven’t carried the virus: a few weeks in the future. Test rejected. The results were more delayed and the test was lost. The confusion about what insurance covers and what it does not.

Others had an almost seamless experience — less than 30 minutes in and out of the test center, with results in 1-2 days. Some have opted to pay more for a “quick test” and get results within an hour.

In the CalMatters survey, 170 respondents from Humboldt County to San Diego County shared a wealth of “ultra-easy” hit or miss testing experience. To the “circus”.

Coronavirus testing in California has been challenging since day one. Since the beginning of the pandemic, short supply has allowed for very limited testing, and the state has set a conservative goal of 8,000 tests by the end of March. Since then, the tests have expanded and the state aggregates over 100,000 tests per day. But demand puts pressure on the supply chain, forcing the state to rethink its strategy.

Governor Gavin Newtham will announce a new test game plan on Monday.

“There is not enough machinery and equipment to meet the current national and global needs for diagnostic tests,” said Dr. David Witt, National Infectious Diseases Leader at Kaiser Permanente. “Given the current surge in ongoing cases, it’s very likely that the test will continue to challenge, and it can get worse before the test improves.”

As supply fluctuates and incidents spike in different communities, Wit said testing priorities may change.

Some respondents to the CalMatters survey reported that they had a technical problem that forced them to return to the site more than once before being actually tested. Fresno’s two roommates, who requested a test from the same site at the same time, booked almost a week apart.

Carson Breaker in Los Angeles was sitting in the car with a 90 degree heat that rolled up the window for over an hour. What he wanted to know is that his car does not have an air conditioner. People who don’t have cars said it might be difficult to do a walk-up test.

On May 25, Miles Scanbell of Woodland learned that a colleague in a supermarket warehouse had tested positive for coronavirus. He lived with his parents and didn’t want to potentially expose them, so he decided to take the test.

I’ve heard that the test is free, but I insured me not to be surprised by the bill. He said he would cover costs only if the tests were ordered by his primary care provider.

Campbell, 23, had no doctor and no symptoms, making it difficult to find a provider to prescribe the test.

By the time he was tested on July 4, he had been in quarantine for more than a week — he wasn’t working yet and could expose his parents.

“I don’t think it was worth it. I’m going to work tomorrow. 14 days have passed and I haven’t got any results yet.

Campbell’s story is also one of the “mandatory workers,” including food production and grocery store employees. But accessing the tests has never been easier. Mandatory workers, with or without symptoms, are in the current “Tier 1” of the state Test guidelines, That is, you need to prioritize them.

Sherrie Totoki, 33, took a test at San Francisco Community College. I was told that the results would come out in a few days, so I planned to visit my sister who just gave birth in Los Angeles. A week after she had no results, she was told she did not take the test.

When she arrived in Los Angeles, she said she was away from her family until she found an emergency center in Pasadena. Antigen testDesigned for quick detection of viruses.

An hour later and after $125 she got negative results. Later that day, she received a second message from her first free test in San Francisco, notifying her that the test was found. Result: Negative.

“It was worth it because I wanted to see my nephew, but I spent a lot of time taking the test,” Toki said.

For Stockton’s 74-year-old Andy Lago Marcino, waiting for results was not a problem. It was a mess about how to start the test. He said he drove to the Sutter Gould Medical Foundation in late June. He was instructed to drive to the parking space and call the parking post number for further instructions. No reservation required. It seemed easy enough, he said.

As Lagomarsino says, he spent more than an hour on the phone, but couldn’t get anyone to answer. He left and came back on the second day. Next is the third. “I ended up taking the test, but I had to stink a lot,” he said. “Taking the test was the biggest circus.”

His result came the next day.

To improve testing, California has established a system of over 1,000 public and private test sites. Also state Exam Information Website, People can find a test location nearby. Many residents jumped at this opportunity just to be reassured. In the CalMatters survey, 84% of respondents said they sought testing even if they had no symptoms.

California, along with the rest of the country, again experienced a shortage of supplies needed for the test and canceled the promise, Test site closure Wait long for results.

July 4Public health officials have asked California laboratories to prioritize symptomatic patients and those in hospitals, nursing homes, or prisons.

“It’s an interesting moment,” Newtham said at a news conference last week. “There are some supply chain concerns, and at the same time, we are running record numbers of tests.”

In a preview of future announcements, Newsom said the state is considering increasing testing at local laboratories and hospitals.

However, some of these systems have also expressed concern. UC Davis Health said there aren’t enough kits to support testing outside the system. Testing of his patients and their employees continues. Sutter Health in Northern California said it is also looking for supplies from various vendors.

Kaiser Permanente said it is working towards its goal of 20,000 tests per day. “But I’m still worried about the availability of the necessary test supplies over the next few weeks and months,” said Witt.

Newsom said the shortage and backlog didn’t want to discourage people from calling for tests.

“If you have symptoms, or if you’re in a high-risk category, take a look. We recommend taking tests. In some cases, don’t be discouraged by these delays,” he said. “Know that some teams are working overtime on this.”

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CalMatters medical insurance is supported by a grant from the Blue Shield of California Foundation. CALmatters.org A non-profit, bipartisan media venture explaining California policy and politics.