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A nurse in the United States, who is sick and in isolation, has made explosive claims that she was denied a coronavirus test because health authorities didn’t believe she had the infection. That’s despite massive shortfalls in protective equipment for medical personnel.

Even when health officials were persuaded that she could have come into contract with the virus, she was told she would have to wait in line behind those who had more severe symptoms because the testing kits were so scarce. She likened the response to getting a “ticket at the deli counter” rather than trying to clamp down on a potential pandemic.

The claims have highlighted major criticisms of the US’ reaction to the public health emergency. It comes as a national survey on coronavirus preparedness in the nation has revealed some “truly disturbing” results.

In Australia we’ve been warned for weeks of the pressure the virus will place on our public health systems. Yet authorities in America appear to have been blindsided by the disease.

As SARS-CoV-2 — the virus that causes the deadly COVID-19 pneumonia — continues its rapid spread in multiple US cities, a survey by the nation’s largest nurses union has revealed just how unprepared its hospitals are for the outbreak.

The National Nurses United (NNU) survey of more than 6500 registered nurses in 48 states showed the “vast majority” of US hospitals and health care facilities “do not have plans, isolation procedures, and policies in place for COVID-19”.

It found more than a third of nurses did not have access to protective masks while a staggering 54 per cent had not received any information about the coronavirus from their employers.

NNU Industrial Hygienist Jane Thomason called the results “truly disturbing” and slammed the US Government’s handling of the outbreak, which has infected at least 230 people and killed 12 — all but one of them in the state of Washington, in the country’s north west.

Seattle scientist Trevor Bedford warned last week the true number of confirmed cases is likely much higher — by several hundred — since the virus had been circulating undetected in the community since mid January.

“(The NNU survey results) show that a large percentage of our nation’s hospitals are unprepared to safely handle COVID-19,” she told a press conference.

Ms Thomason slammed the US government’s handling of the outbreak, saying authorities were not committed to taking the greatest possible precautions.

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“Sadly, our federal government agencies have not followed this principle in their approach to containing this virus,” she said.

“Now we are reactive when we could have months ago been proactive.”

Reports the Centres for Disease Control (CDC) was lowering its minimal equipment guidance for nurses — from respirators to basic surgical masks — were a particular concern, Ms Thomason said.

“Now is not the time for weakening guidance,” she said.

SICK NURSE BLOWS WHISTLE FROM QUARANTINE

The horror survey findings come as a nurse who fell ill after caring for a patient infected with the coronavirus revealed she has been unable to obtain a test to check if she has the deadly disease.

In an explosive statement read out by NNU director Bonnie Castillo on Friday, the anonymous whistleblower said the CDC refused to test her for COVID-19 because they did not believe the virus could have penetrated her protective gear.

“(The CDC) said they would not test me because if I were wearing the recommended protective equipment, then I wouldn’t have the coronavirus,” the nurse, who works at a hospital in northern California, wrote.

“What kind of science based answer is that? What an uneducated and ridiculous response from the department that is in charge of the health of this country. Later they called back and now it’s an issue with something called the identifier number.

“They claim they prioritise running samples by illness severity and that there are only so many to give out each day, so I have to wait in line for the results. This is not a ticket dispenser at the deli counter. It’s a public health emergency.

“I’m a registered nurse and I need to know if I’m positive before going back to care for patients. I’m appalled at the level of bureaucracy that’s preventing nurses from getting tested. Delaying this test puts the whole community at risk.”

News.com.au has reached out to the CDC for comment. You can read the whistleblower nurse’s full statement here.

or would do that. Except maybe North Korea. This. Is. NOT. NORMAL.— Astrid Angharad (@AngharadAstrid) March 5, 2020

MORE HORROR FINDINGS FROM HOSPITAL CORONAVIRUS SURVEY

The NNU says the findings of its survey show nurses and other health professionals have been placed in a position of unacceptable risk.

“As of today more than 80 of our nurse members have been in quarantine,” Ms Thomason told reporters at a press conference on Friday.

“It is not a successful strategy to leave nurses and other health workers unprotected.”

The survey found:

* Less than 30 per cent worked at a hospital with a plan in place to isolate a patient with a possible coronavirus infection, while 23 per cent didn’t know if there was a plan.

* Only 44 per cent had been provided with information about the coronavirus and how to recognise and respond to possible cases

* More than a third did not have access to N95 respirators masks while just 27 per cent had been provided with personal protective equipment (PPE)

* Only 30 per cent reported sufficient PPE stock on hand to protect staff in the event of a rapid surge of patients with possible coronavirus infections

* Less than 20 per cent worked at a hospital with a policy to deal with staff with suspected or known exposure to the coronavirus while 43 per cent did not know if such a policy existed

* Just 65 per cent had been fitted with protective gear to prevent their patients from infecting them.

* Just 14 per cent said their hospital had an overflow plan for additional, trained staff to care for coronavirus patients on isolation, while more than 40 per cent said they had no idea.