Coronavirus: What it's like to be tested - Patient X reveals all

Name: Sam Wallace and Toni Street talk to Patient X
Uploaded: 2020-03-18T13:16:24+13:00
Duration: 218 s
Description: Sam Wallace and Toni Street talk to Patient X about his possible Covid-19 test results. Video / The Hits

NZ Herald

18 Mar, 2020 12:52 AM3 mins to read

Sam Wallace and Toni Street talk to Patient X about his possible Covid-19 test results. Video / The Hits

A man being tested for coronavirus could be the first case in New Zealand to come from community interaction.

The man, referred to as Patient X, spoke on The Hits to Toni Street and Sam Wallace today, wanting to remain anonymous.

He'd emailed Sam yesterday saying "I've just got myself tested for Covid-19 today ... if the result is positive that means I am the first person in New Zealand to get it through a work interaction with customers."

"If this patient X does test positive, it'll be the first case in New Zealand where we don't have a link back to someone who's come from overseas," Toni said.

Patient X explained that he went for the test after he realised his cold was "just not getting better".

"I contacted the doctors first thing Monday morning and by the afternoon I was in the car park being asked questions by the doctors ... then they made the call to do a test based on those questions."

Patient X works in a job where he is regularly in contact with people, as he explained.

"In a lot of businesses, banks, airport, the whole lot, we have a lot of interaction and what we've seen is that a lot of people are getting into the country that haven't been tested.

"We're basically at that point where it's gonna cross over so they're making the call as you saw with the news yesterday - go get tested."

He told the hosts he was feeling fine.

"Obviously it's a precaution to do the test but all the symptoms I had over the last week have dissipated, so no temperatures, no headaches, no cough, no sneezing, nothing like that.

"It could be the flu, could be just strep throat .. that's what the test will determine today."

He then explained the testing procedure. He wasn't allowed to get out of his car once arriving at the doctor's surgery.

"They came out fully geared up, all the masks and goggles and that kind of stuff. They
go through the car window, taking a throat swab and one down the back of your nose.

"Doing oxygen readings, checking your temperature, light in the throat, and then taking those results away and then off you go."

He's waiting for the results to come back on Friday.