Abstract
Several aspects led to the poor control of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in the US from a rural emergency department (ED) perspective. These include US residents' attitude towards political involvement in health and civil rights; lack of enough testing kits and rapid test results, or not available at all; and personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages. These obstacles related to medical supplies and resources, and lack of coordinated approach to the pandemic in the US, are important information for retrospective disaster research to understand study limitations, extrapolate accurate and valid data, and for other countries to understand how and why the US had higher numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths compared to other countries.
Highlights
If influenza negative and a patient was symptomatic, they would be sent home with presumed COVID-19 with instructions to self-isolate for 14 days unless symptoms of respiratory distress worsened
The local Departments of Health had to be called for all COVID-19 suspected patients to approve of the COVID-19 testing
This health department approval was based upon whether a person traveled to a high-risk pandemic outbreak area overseas, such as China. This type of testing restriction resulted in delay for COVID-19 screening, even after wide-spread United States (US) community spread was recognized
Summary
If influenza negative and a patient was symptomatic, they would be sent home with presumed COVID-19 with instructions to self-isolate for 14 days unless symptoms of respiratory distress worsened. The local Departments of Health had to be called for all COVID-19 suspected patients to approve of the COVID-19 testing.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
