A popular fashion influencer is documenting her process of being tested for coronavirus by a friend, despite shortages of tests around the country.
Arielle Charnas, an NYC-based social media personality known as Something Navy, detailed her health care journey on Instagram Stories for her 1.3 million followers.
On Monday, Charnas wrote that she had a sore throat and a fever. A doctor instructed her to “quarantine herself” and do at-home treatment. She was told it sounded more like she had the flu than COVID-19.
Her followers urged her to get tested for the coronavirus, which she says she was resistant to do because she did not meet the qualifications to do so. She tagged a friend, Dr. Jake Deutsch, who runs the Cure Urgent Care facility on the Upper West Side, and he offered to test her for the coronavirus and influenza.
As of Thursday, New York state had limited coronavirus testing to only those people who are considered to be high-risk and who are experiencing a fever and cough, or a fever and shortness of breath.
Charnas’ husband, Brandon, filmed her being tested from the passenger seat of their car. “Ow ow ow ow ow,” she said as a nurse swabbed the inside of her nose. Afterward, she wiped her eyes, which had teared up from the swab.
“Now, I’m freaking out because my flu test came back negative,” she said, and then took a break from posting for a few hours.
“I ended my Stories saying that I was freaking out, but I’m really not,” she continued later. “I don’t get results from COVID for a couple of days, so I don’t know if I have coronavirus … But I’ll keep everyone updated and let you guys know when I get my results.” One of Charnas’ representatives told BuzzFeed News that they would not be commenting on the results of her test, but the mother of two later updated her followers saying that her fever has gone down.
It’s just the latest example of people with privilege using their influence to get tested when most Americans experiencing symptoms have been unable to do so.
“Still fuming that something navy went and used one of the like 5 tests we have,” wrote @alainapol22 on Twitter.
On Thursday, the Utah Jazz NBA team got 58 players and staffers tested in Oklahoma after center Rudy Gobert was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Wednesday night. That’s almost 60 percent of the state’s daily testing ability, and 20 percent of their total available tests, reported The Daily Beast.
Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner was also able to get tested after she attended the birthday party of someone who received a positive diagnosis. Although she is not infected, many questioned how she was able to receive care.
Actor Idris Elba tested positive on Monday, despite showing no symptoms. When Tom Hanks and wife Rita Wilson revealed they were quarantined in an Australian hospital after being infected, some noted that they wouldn’t have been eligible for a test if they had felt sick in America.