In Miami, Florida, the current epicenter of the outbreak, lab lines are hundreds of people long.
There was chaos everywhere; it was like a scene from a dystopian film.
Everyone was standing super close to each other coughing and sneezing and not sure what to do.
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I felt like if I didnt already have the virus, I would get it just by being there.
Mazloum received a positive test result two days later and remained isolated at home for the next two weeks.
And this spread places further strain on testing facilities, labs, pharmacies, and hospitals.
This system worked well in the beginning, and results could be processed within three to four days.
It was a nightmare.
This was especially a problem when people needed medical clearance to travel and had flights coming up.
To combat this problem, Infante looked for local, boutique labs that could process tests in 48 hours.
TheDepartment of Health and Human Services websitecan help you find a community-based testing site near you.
Amira El Kholy, APRN, is an ICU nurse practitioner who works at several different hospitals across Miami.
Now, with the rapid test, patients can get their results back in three to four hours.
“Weve had to expand the number of beds in the ICU and make new ICU units.
At one point, every single patient in the hospital was there with confirmed or suspected COVID-19.
On some nights, we would have four patients die in the same unit.
It was absolutely heartbreaking.
And without a confirmed diagnosis, some people are not staying home.
For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit ourcoronavirus news page.
Food and Drug Administration.Coronavirus testing basics.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms of COVID-19.
doi:10.1016/S1473-3099(20)30457-6
