TROUP COUNTY, Ga. — You may be wondering what to do if you come down with symptoms similar to the coronavirus in the coming weeks.
Health officials say rushing to get tested for COVID-19 would actually slow the whole process down for others.
People like Amy Alexander say she knows she is sick, but she's not sure exactly how sick.
Alexander spoke with Channel 2’s Matt Johnson via FaceTime on Monday night.
She said she has self-quarantined in her Troup County home after getting checked out for flu-like symptoms last Thursday.
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“I have a high fever, body aches, chills, the whole nine, sore throat, cough,” Alexander said.
She said she tested negative for the flu and strep throat. She also learned she came into contact with someone with COVID-19, and told her doctor.
“At church on Sunday. I had been exposed to someone who has tested positive,” Alexander said.
Her doctor recommended that she call Piedmont Newnan Hospital to get tested, but Alexander said it wasn't that simple.
“They said they didn’t have the means to test people; the guidelines are very strict,” Alexander said.
Her symptoms are considered moderate, so health officials say it's not uncommon for COVID-19 tests to be reserved only for more severe cases.
A spokesperson for the Georgia Department of Health sent Johnson a statement, saying, in part:
"The majority of people with COVID-19 can safely recover at home with self-isolation and symptomatic treatment --- diagnosis through laboratory testing does not change the care they would receive."
A spokesperson for Piedmont Hospitals told Johnson in a statement:
"Our policy is to prioritize so that we are sending tests from our sickest patients to try and avoid delays."
Alexander remains in self-quarantine, waiting for the day widespread testing is available in Georgia.
“It’s needed now. We need to know, so we can do the best job of protecting other people that we know,” Alexander said.
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