I work in public health – and was refused a test
Anonymous – California
I work for Public Health in California. The department heads are faithfully executing the CDC rationing of COVID-19 tests according to the now ridiculously out-of-touch CDC testing protocols: 1) Patient has traveled overseas (as if COVID-19 isn't here now); 2) patient has had contact with a "confirmed case," not a presumptive positive (with no testing, how would you know?); 3) patient is in a risk factor group, such as elderly with underlying conditions.
I came down with possible COVID-19 symptoms and was refused a test by my supervisors, who are in charge of approving or denying tests in the county. Nurses are showing up at the department with fevers and are not being sent home, even though they are currently manning the phones to allay valid public concerns and deny COVID-19 tests, a "task" that could easily be performed from home.
As public health workers we have been told we will be called in to act as emergency workers, but we have no idea in what capacity; perhaps taking care of people when the wave of visits start at the county ER? There haven't been many serious situational briefings, and there is a "this isn't that big of a deal" blasé attitude being displayed by the administrators that is starting to scare some of us. Workers feel that there is a lack of concern for worker wellbeing, especially the well-being of the elderly workers and that of their families. Our union is mobilizing to deal with some of our demands, but they don't seem to grasp the severity of the lack of communication between the grunt public health workers, janitors, translators, phlebotomists, etc.—some making as little as $32k/year—versus the administrative elite making $145-185k/year.
We need more COVID-19 testing and we need it now. If we don't start testing more and isolating positive test contacts, and their contacts, we won't be able to stave the ER wave. I'm afraid we might end up sleeping in our cars in our PPE without any support, afraid to go home to our families.
Some of our demands right now:
• Daily health worker-geared briefings;
• List of available unexpired personal protective equipment (PPE), and declared plans for rationing in emergency conditions;
• Paid furlough for elderly workers with and without "underlying health conditions" and for those taking care of elderly people at home;
• Enforcement of health & safety measures (such as: employees cannot show up to work with COVID-19 symptoms)
• Right to COVID-19 testing for health workers;
• Right to paid health worker furlough if COVID-19 quarantine is necessary;
• Situational plan for impending emergency, including arrangements for worker quarantine away from their families, rest areas, meals, and showers. I'm directing the demands to our union today in writing.
