Andrew Cuomo Gets Coronavirus Test Live On TV: 'It Is So Fast And So Easy'
Andrew Cuomo gets coronavirus test live on TV to encourage New Yorkers to do the same
One of the biggest hurdles in the fight against COVID-19 is the lack of testing. Back in March and even as recently as last month, people with coronavirus symptoms were literally unable to get tested for the disease. Individuals would call their doctors only to be told to stay home. However, as some parts of the U.S. — like New York — have ramped up their testing capabilities, a new problem has arisen and it’s that there are too many tests and not enough people taking advantage of them. Additionally, some people fear that the nasal swab test is uncomfortable and have been reluctant to get tested, so to contest this, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo got a nasal swab coronavirus test live during a televised briefing on May 17, 2020 while urging all New Yorkers with symptoms to come out and get tested.
Yes, Cuomo is only the governor of New York but his daily press briefings have essentially become stand-ins for the coronavirus briefings the actual president fails to do, so when Cuomo shares his coronavirus test experience with New Yorkers, really, he’s sharing it with the whole country.
“There is nothing about this test that should intimidate people from not taking this test. It is fast, it is easy,” he said. “It is so fast and so easy that even a governor can take this test.”
The test was then administered by Dr. Elizabeth DuFort, who put a long swab, known as a nasopharyngeal swab, deep into the governor’s nose for a few seconds. “That is the whole test. I’m not in pain. I’m not in discomfort,” Cuomo said afterward. “You don’t even have to be New York tough to take that test.”
Cuomo said that New York now has more than 700 testing sites across the state and can handle 40,000 tests per day. However, not enough people are showing up for testing. “We have more sites and more testing capacity than we’re using,” he said.
In New York, you can get a test today if you think if you have symptoms or have been in contact with someone who is positive for COVID-19. Also, essential workers and anyone that will return to work soon in Phase 1 of reopening, regardless of symptoms, should also get tested.
“The more New Yorkers get tested, the better — and we are going to ensure to all individuals who will return to the workplace in phase one of our reopening plan have access to testing, and we are launching a new website to make it easier for New Yorkers to find nearby testing sites,” the governor added.
Currently, coronavirus testing is managed at the local level or through private health providers. The process is difficult to navigate, though GoodRx has done a great job cataloging all the drive-thru testing sites across the country — but now that New York is offering free statewide testing and other major metro areas like Los Angeles are already offering free drive-thru coronavirus tests to anyone who wants it, whether they show symptoms or not, here’s to hoping we’re moving towards a future where anyone that needs a test can get it.
