'Walking Dead' Actor Slams $9,000 Coronavirus Test Bill
It looks the coronavirus is not the only thing Americans should fear. Apparently, testing for COVID-19 costs astronomical amount of money, as actor Daniel Newman learned the hard way.
COVID-19 Testing Cost Are High
After his co-worker tested positive for COVID-19, the "Walking Dead" actor Daniel Newman sought to get himself tested too. He has been experiencing the early symptoms associated with the disease, and that pushed him to get tested while in Georgia.
He called his doctor and other available clinics near him and they all told him the same thing: they do not have available testing kits with them. Finally, he called a large hospital in Atlanta that had one. It was only after the staff recognized him as the actor in the hit AMC series that he was given the test kit.
And yet again, the actor himself recognized the preferential testing procedures in hospitals, and he had one thing to say about it too.
"Preferential treatment for coronavirus is disgusting," the 38-year old actor said. Newman told "CNN" after being one of the recipients of the novel coronavirus test. What was also apparent then was that not only was the treatment preferential, it cost him a whopping $9,000 to get it done.
"$9,000 dollars after and the staff told me that my symptoms were mild and that they needed the ER beds for the more serious cases," Newman revealed. He also said that the staff of the hospital were specifically tasked by the government to not allow the test to be processed.
Simply put, Newman and several other elderly and young people who came in for the coronavirus confirmation test were led home and advised to self-isolate themselves -- without their tests being processed.
In his social media post, Newman ended with a message of hope, reminding everyone that they are not alone in this crisis.
"We are all going through this together. Please be safe, wash your hands, stay 6 feet or more away from people and if you can, just stay at home," the actor added.
Preferential Testing For COVID-19
Daniel Newman is not the only actor who has come forward to get himself tested for the coronavirus. His exposure to someone who has been diagnosed with one puts him at high risk of contracting it. The decision to get tested was the most responsible thing to do.
However, other celebrities who do not show symptoms or who have little to no exposure to a possible carrier of the virus have got themselves tested simply because they had the connections. Arielle Charnas, an online influencer, is one of those recipients of the so-called preferential testing for COVID-19.
"Her action was uncalled for and was simply 100 percent wrong," said Governor Andrew Cuomo.
The ongoing tests for COVID-19 are highly valuable at this time, particularly because no vaccine or medication has been identified to help lessen the risks. Governments all over the world have called on their citizens to stay at home and be with their families.
The practice of social distancing truly helps minimize exposure to the risk of coronavirus.
