Austin couple having difficult time getting tested for COVID-19

AUSTIN, Texas - An Austin woman said she is having a difficult time getting her sick wife tested for COVID-19.

Leslie Jones said they keep going in circles when it comes to where they can get tested. Right now they are in self-quarantine. “We were prepared so we are fine on food and everything but it's been stressful because we've just been waiting. There's nothing you can really do besides Tylenol so we've been resting, I’ve started to get a fever,” said Jones.
 
FOX 7 spoke to Jones via FaceTime who said over the weekend her wife started to become sick. “We thought she was super dehydrated and we thought to have her drink lots of water,” said Jones.

Jones said they called their clinic and told them her wife’s symptoms which included a fever, fatigue and some back pain. “She has rheumatoid arthritis so she's usually in some pain but it was extreme pain,” said Jones.
 
She said they were told to go to the emergency room, where she said her wife was tested for a lot of things but all came back negative.

“Flu, strep throat, a full blood panel, urine sample, and chest x-ray,” said Jones. One thing she said they couldn’t test for was COVID-19. “After all that came back clear, I said is it safe to assume she has COVID-19 and the doctor said yes it's safe to assume that now you need to go home and self-quarantine for two weeks,” said Jones.

Still wanting answers, Jones said they looked other options but kept getting referred to where they came. “We just came from the emergency room and they wouldn't test her,” said Jones.

RELATED: Texas declares public health disaster, closes restaurant dining rooms and schools

She said the whole process just to figure out if her wife even has COVID-19 is too confusing. “It’s my wife and when someone you love is suffering and sick I don't really appreciate being told you can assume something. I want to know and I can't have that right now,” said Jones.

Beginning next week, the Austin-based company Everylywell stated on their website they will offer take-home testing for COVID-19. Their initial supply consists of 30,000 tests and the price is $135. FOX 7 Austin also reached out to LabCorp, a company which said by the end of this week can perform more than 20,000 tests per day. They say their tests can be ordered through physicians or health care providers who collect the samples and send it to their lab. They have not said how much these tests cost.

RELATED: CoronavirusNOW.com, FOX launches national hub for COVID-19 news and updates

Jones said they may be looking into those options. “I think we are going to make some calls first before we go out into the general public, I want to take the right steps to be cautious to not expose anyone else,” said Jones.

As more testing becomes available Jones hopes there's cheap or potential free options available for those who need it. “Luckily we have insurance and there are some people who don't and they aren't going to get the help that they need,” said Jones.

Those looking to get tested for COVID-19 are urged to call their local health department or your doctor. Some health districts like Travis County say there are options for people without insurance.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST INFO ON THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK

---

FOX 7 Austin is working to keep you up to date with coronavirus, with both local and national developments. Every weekday we're live at 1 p.m. with a special show reporting the latest news, prevention tips and treatment information.

You can watch live in your FOX 7 Austin app or on the FOX 7 Austin Facebook page.

You can also get the latest COVID-19 news from around the country at coronavirusnow.com.