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| So you need a coronavirus test? It’s not that simple. | So you need a coronavirus test? It’s not that simple. |
| (4 days later) | |
| Across the United States, more coronavirus tests should soon be available for people who want them, but health departments in Virginia, Maryland and the District say patients still must obtain approval from their doctor to be tested. | Across the United States, more coronavirus tests should soon be available for people who want them, but health departments in Virginia, Maryland and the District say patients still must obtain approval from their doctor to be tested. |
| If a doctor decides a test is warranted according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria, they must set one up through their local public health department or a commercial lab. | If a doctor decides a test is warranted according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria, they must set one up through their local public health department or a commercial lab. |
| President Trump on Friday declared a national emergency for the coronavirus pandemic, freeing up $50 billion to help states and territories address the crisis, and announced plans to expand drive-through testing. | President Trump on Friday declared a national emergency for the coronavirus pandemic, freeing up $50 billion to help states and territories address the crisis, and announced plans to expand drive-through testing. |
| But as the number of positive tests in the region neared 60 on Friday, residents expressed frustration with the long waits, misinformation and confusion over how to get tested. | But as the number of positive tests in the region neared 60 on Friday, residents expressed frustration with the long waits, misinformation and confusion over how to get tested. |
| “Testing is not readily available, but people in Washington keep saying it is. I feel like we’ve been misled,” said a retired civil engineer in her 60s from Virginia Beach, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss her health. | “Testing is not readily available, but people in Washington keep saying it is. I feel like we’ve been misled,” said a retired civil engineer in her 60s from Virginia Beach, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss her health. |
| She returned from a long trip, including a three-night Nile River cruise, on Feb. 26 with a low fever, body aches, coughing and shortness of breath. She twice went to urgent care but was denied a test until Tuesday when a mask-clad nurse at Sentara Leigh Hospital in Norfolk, swabbed her mouth and nose. | She returned from a long trip, including a three-night Nile River cruise, on Feb. 26 with a low fever, body aches, coughing and shortness of breath. She twice went to urgent care but was denied a test until Tuesday when a mask-clad nurse at Sentara Leigh Hospital in Norfolk, swabbed her mouth and nose. |
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| She was negative, but will still postpone visiting her 10-month old grandson in North Carolina and only planned to leave the house Friday — for a Costco run. | She was negative, but will still postpone visiting her 10-month old grandson in North Carolina and only planned to leave the house Friday — for a Costco run. |
| “I’m relieved that I don’t have it, but I’m frustrated because it took too long,” she said. | “I’m relieved that I don’t have it, but I’m frustrated because it took too long,” she said. |
| Research facilities in the region, including the University of Virginia Health System and Virginia Commonwealth University, are developing new tests to meet the demand. | Research facilities in the region, including the University of Virginia Health System and Virginia Commonwealth University, are developing new tests to meet the demand. |
| Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine started applying its in-house-developed test Wednesday at a clip of about 30 a day — with plans to increase that dramatically through robotics — said Heba Mostafa, an assistant professor of pathology. | Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine started applying its in-house-developed test Wednesday at a clip of about 30 a day — with plans to increase that dramatically through robotics — said Heba Mostafa, an assistant professor of pathology. |
| Quest Diagnostics, one of the largest commercial lab companies, is preparing to open a facility in Chantilly, Va., on Monday, plus another has opened in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., and a third is in the works for in Marlboro, Mass., spokeswoman Rachel Carr said. | Quest Diagnostics, one of the largest commercial lab companies, is preparing to open a facility in Chantilly, Va., on Monday, plus another has opened in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., and a third is in the works for in Marlboro, Mass., spokeswoman Rachel Carr said. |
| The three labs operating around the clock could handle tens of thousands of tests weekly, and health care provider with a Quest account can request a test, she said. | The three labs operating around the clock could handle tens of thousands of tests weekly, and health care provider with a Quest account can request a test, she said. |
| Despite the increasing commercial availability, doctors remain the gatekeepers. | Despite the increasing commercial availability, doctors remain the gatekeepers. |
| In a statement Thursday, LabCorp, another major private testing company, said physicians and health care providers can order the test anywhere in the United States, assuming the patient meets CDC guidelines. The doctor ordering the test should then collect the specimen — a swab — and send it to LabCorp, the company said. Results are usually available in three to four days. | In a statement Thursday, LabCorp, another major private testing company, said physicians and health care providers can order the test anywhere in the United States, assuming the patient meets CDC guidelines. The doctor ordering the test should then collect the specimen — a swab — and send it to LabCorp, the company said. Results are usually available in three to four days. |
| However fast things are ramping up, some experts say valuable time has been lost. | However fast things are ramping up, some experts say valuable time has been lost. |
| “A month ago, we should have already started testing widely in the community because there are people who don’t have symptoms who are spreading it to others,” said Leana Wen, a public health professor at George Washington University and the former health commissioner of Baltimore. “We lost weeks in this epidemic.” | “A month ago, we should have already started testing widely in the community because there are people who don’t have symptoms who are spreading it to others,” said Leana Wen, a public health professor at George Washington University and the former health commissioner of Baltimore. “We lost weeks in this epidemic.” |
| A self-employed man from Montgomery County who tested positive and spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss his health, said his wife, who later also tested positive, called four hospitals seeking tests before MedStar Georgetown University Hospital agreed to see them. His symptoms started when he returned home from international and domestic travel on March 4, culminating in a fever of 103, but because he didn’t visit a country of top concern to the CDC, he didn’t automatically qualify for the test. By Sunday, he was in an isolation room in Georgetown being swabbed. | A self-employed man from Montgomery County who tested positive and spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss his health, said his wife, who later also tested positive, called four hospitals seeking tests before MedStar Georgetown University Hospital agreed to see them. His symptoms started when he returned home from international and domestic travel on March 4, culminating in a fever of 103, but because he didn’t visit a country of top concern to the CDC, he didn’t automatically qualify for the test. By Sunday, he was in an isolation room in Georgetown being swabbed. |
| “Nobody knew what the procedure was or what the process looks like so that was really frustrating to deal with,” he said. “The doctors were doing their best but they just didn’t know enough.” | “Nobody knew what the procedure was or what the process looks like so that was really frustrating to deal with,” he said. “The doctors were doing their best but they just didn’t know enough.” |
| In a call with health care providers Friday, Preetha Iyengar, an epidemiologist at D.C. Department of Health, said there are two kinds of people who can be tested in the District. | In a call with health care providers Friday, Preetha Iyengar, an epidemiologist at D.C. Department of Health, said there are two kinds of people who can be tested in the District. |
| If a doctor decides a test is necessary, they should set one up through D.C. Health or a commercial lab, she said. Physicians do not need approval from a public health department to order a test from a private lab. | If a doctor decides a test is necessary, they should set one up through D.C. Health or a commercial lab, she said. Physicians do not need approval from a public health department to order a test from a private lab. |
| Residents can only obtain a test directly through D.C. Health without a health evaluation if they are were exposed through an ongoing outbreak, such as the one at Christ Church in Georgetown, she said. At least four people associated with the historic church tested positive, starting with the Rev. Timothy Cole. | Residents can only obtain a test directly through D.C. Health without a health evaluation if they are were exposed through an ongoing outbreak, such as the one at Christ Church in Georgetown, she said. At least four people associated with the historic church tested positive, starting with the Rev. Timothy Cole. |
| Virginia officials have similar guidelines. | Virginia officials have similar guidelines. |
| Testing at the public lab in Richmond is mainly reserved for symptomatic patients who have traveled to a country of concern, had contact with someone who tested positive, live in a nursing home or is a health care worker. | Testing at the public lab in Richmond is mainly reserved for symptomatic patients who have traveled to a country of concern, had contact with someone who tested positive, live in a nursing home or is a health care worker. |
| “Because the Virginia state laboratory has limited capacity, they have to prioritize which patients they’re going to test,” said John Silcox, a spokesman for the Fairfax County Department of Health. | “Because the Virginia state laboratory has limited capacity, they have to prioritize which patients they’re going to test,” said John Silcox, a spokesman for the Fairfax County Department of Health. |
| In less urgent cases, local health officials said, doctors should use their discretion about ordering a test at a private lab. | In less urgent cases, local health officials said, doctors should use their discretion about ordering a test at a private lab. |
| Once doctors rule out the flu and other respiratory ailments, patients are swabbed for the coronavirus either at their doctor’s office or at a lab used by their doctor’s health care network, local health care officials said. | Once doctors rule out the flu and other respiratory ailments, patients are swabbed for the coronavirus either at their doctor’s office or at a lab used by their doctor’s health care network, local health care officials said. |
| In either case, the patient is isolated in a separate room, with the door closed, and a doctor or nurse wearing a mask and other protective gear will collect a sample. | In either case, the patient is isolated in a separate room, with the door closed, and a doctor or nurse wearing a mask and other protective gear will collect a sample. |
| Coronavirus in the DMV: What you need to know | Coronavirus in the DMV: What you need to know |
| Yet in some cases, even people with known contact with positive cases can’t get that far. | Yet in some cases, even people with known contact with positive cases can’t get that far. |
| Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) and his wife, Megan, sat at a small table at a buffet dinner party on Feb. 28 with a friend from the District who later tested positive, but could not get tested because they had no symptoms. | Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) and his wife, Megan, sat at a small table at a buffet dinner party on Feb. 28 with a friend from the District who later tested positive, but could not get tested because they had no symptoms. |
| In the nearly two weeks between the dinner and the start of their self-quarantine, Beyer estimated he had contact with more than 200 people, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), 79, as well as Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.), 80, and other members of Congress, including much of the Virginia delegation. | In the nearly two weeks between the dinner and the start of their self-quarantine, Beyer estimated he had contact with more than 200 people, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), 79, as well as Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.), 80, and other members of Congress, including much of the Virginia delegation. |
| Beyer, 69, said he didn’t seek special care, rather he wanted to limit the potential spread of a virus that has infected more than 141,000 people worldwide and 1,885 in the United States. | Beyer, 69, said he didn’t seek special care, rather he wanted to limit the potential spread of a virus that has infected more than 141,000 people worldwide and 1,885 in the United States. |
| “I could be spreading it to all kinds of people,” he said in a phone interview Friday. “It’s the asymptomatic who are positive who will be responsible for community spread.” | “I could be spreading it to all kinds of people,” he said in a phone interview Friday. “It’s the asymptomatic who are positive who will be responsible for community spread.” |
| Fenit Nirappil and Rebecca Tan contributed to this report. | Fenit Nirappil and Rebecca Tan contributed to this report. |
| Known coronavirus cases in D.C., Maryland and Virginia | Known coronavirus cases in D.C., Maryland and Virginia |
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