Florida woman says she was tested for coronavirus at local hospital but still awaiting answers

A woman from Florida said she was tested at a local hospital for coronavirus Friday and can’t get any answers.

“No one can call me back. I can’t get through to them. I am trying to be a good citizen and trying to stay quarantined, but I want to go home,” Christine Schnitzer said.

Schnitzer is from Florida but is currently self-quarantined away from family in Washington County.

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She arrived on March 7 but got sick on March 10 and visited an urgent care the next day. She Skyped with us since she is self-isolating.

“Dry cough, rattling in the chest and shortness of breath, with that said, my age and travel, they administered the test,” Schnitzer said.

Christine said she was tested Friday for coronavirus at St. Clair Hospital in Allegheny County.

The emergency room personnel said they were taking themselves out of it. A that point, they said, it would be the health department.

But now three days later, there’s still no answer.

“I’ve received no call, and it’s now three days later and I see the number going up on the Department of Pennsylvania Health website for Allegheny County and I am wondering if I am one of them,” Schnitzer said.

We reached out to the Allegheny County Health Department getting this response on who would notify tested patients.

“Since it’s within the healthcare system, they should be able to reach out to that provider. ACHD will call and provide direction for isolation and quarantine (only) if the person is positive.”

Schnitzer called the Health Department Monday afternoon only to be told she is not in the database. But the clock is ticking. Her flight back to Florida is Tuesday.

“I can’t do anything until I have an answer and then I can make some decisions,” Schnitzer said.

We reached out to St. Clair Hospital for a response. They said any patient who was tested in the ER would have been provided with discharge instructions at the time of release. Those discharge documents should include how results from any sample collected for tests would be reported.

Schnitzer said after her test she was escorted quickly without walking through the waiting room area.

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