A Langford mom who believes one of her five children could be infected with COVID-19 says she canB次元官网网址檛 get a referral in order to have her daughter tested for the virus.
Jacquey BestB次元官网网址檚 14-year-old daughter, Nevaeh, started exhibiting symptoms last Thursday B次元官网网址� which Best says came on within a matter of hours. When NevaehB次元官网网址檚 fever would not subside, Best called 911 and rushed her to the hospital. After five hours of waiting in the emergency room, with a mask covering their faces, the family was told to go home and get tested for COVID-19.
The Best family spent most of February staying in hotels after their home was damaged due to the major flooding the region went through. B次元官网网址淗e understood we had stayed in hotels and said it was likely that we were high risk and to just go home, not be in public and to get tested but we havenB次元官网网址檛 been able to get tested B次元官网网址� and now all my kids have fevers,B次元官网网址� says Best.
Her five children, aged of four to 14, are all exhibiting symptoms now and so is Best.
READ ALSO:
According to the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC), the symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to other respiratory illnesses, including the flu and the common cold B次元官网网址� such as cough, sneezing, fever, sore throat and difficulty breathing. Last week Island Health opened a referral-only COVID-19 screening clinic in Victoria to help support testing people for the virus. Only primary care providers or an 811 nurse is able to provide a referral, but Best says the phone lines are B次元官网网址渃logged upB次元官网网址� making it impossible to get a referral.
Best says sheB次元官网网址檚 called both 811 and Victoria Health Unit 15 to 20 times each day since Thursday but has had no luck getting through. She says she called her doctorB次元官网网址檚 office as well but was told they havenB次元官网网址檛 been given instruction on how to deal with COVID-19 so they couldnB次元官网网址檛 help her.
READ ALSO:
B次元官网网址淭here shouldnB次元官网网址檛 be panic out there but thereB次元官网网址檚 going to be if [people] canB次元官网网址檛 get tested and get that peace of mind,B次元官网网址� says Best.
On Monday afternoon, Best was finally able to get in contact with Island Health and was told despite having stayed in hotels with other travelers her daughter did not meet the criteria in place for COVID-19 screening.
In response to the pandemic, the province launched a new dedicated phone service to give B.C. residents the latest information on travel recommendations and social distancing, as well as access to support and resources from the provincial and federal governments. The phone line B次元官网网址� 1-888-COVID19 B次元官网网址� is non-medical, in an effort to allow 811 healthcare professionals to support more people who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or who require assistance with other health issues. The phone line is open from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week with information available in more than 110 languages.
Best believes her children could have the virus and will continue to stay inside and self-quarantine until they can be tested.
B次元官网网址淚 believe my kids are young enough that if thereB次元官网网址檚 a chance they do have this, I think theyB次元官网网址檙e going to be O.K. but for anyone whoB次元官网网址檚 older and elderly, I think they need to be stepping this up,B次元官网网址� says Best.
As of Monday, B.C. has a total of 103 cases of COVID-19.
Vancouver Coastal, Fraser, Interior and Island health regions. According to a joint statement from Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.B次元官网网址檚 provincial health officers and Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, six of the confirmed cases are people in acute care, five have fully recovered and the rest are self-isolating at home.
To read more on COVD-19 visit .
kendra.crighton@blackpress.ca
Follow us on Instagram Like us on and follow us on .
