Kathy Griffin says she hasn’t been tested for the novel coronavirus despite being sent to a COVID-19 isolation ward in a “major hospital.”
The 59-year-old comedian and actress tweeted from her hospital bed on Wednesday, claiming that she couldn’t get tested for coronavirus despite “showing unbearably painful symptoms.”
Griffin quoted a tweet by President Donald Trump.
He declared that the United States had done “far more testing than any other nation. In fact, over an eight-day span, the United States now does more testing than what South Korea does over an eight-week span.”
Kathy Griffin blamed government restrictions for her not being tested
Griffin took aim at the President, accusing him of “lying.” She also slammed Vice-president Pence and the CDC, “The hospital couldn’t test me for #coronavirus because of CDC (Pence task force) restrictions.”
She finished her tweet with the hashtag #TESTTESTEST. And she attached two photos, one of which showed her hospital room, and the other was of herself wearing a surgical mask.
He’s lying. I was sent to the #COVID19 isolation ward room in a major hospital ER from a separate urgent care facility after showing UNBEARABLY PAINFUL symptoms. The hospital couldn’t test me for #coronavirus because of CDC (Pence task force) restrictions. #TESTTESTTEST https://t.co/18fRiOBsdN pic.twitter.com/0sU9fHu4r0
— Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) March 25, 2020
Kathy Griffin’s mother died last week
Last Tuesday, Kathy lost her mother, Maggie Griffin, who passed away at the age of 99. Kathy tweeted a picture of herself with her mother, saying she was “gutted” at losing her “best friend.”
Griffin’s struggle to get tested for COVID-19 seems to mirror the experience of many Americans as the Trump administration attempts to expand coronavirus testing across the nation.
As of Wednesday evening, 433,545 Americans had been tested, and 65,000 had tested positive for COVID-19, and 900 deaths have been recorded as a result of the illness.
Experts believe that the true numbers are likely to be much higher, as testing has been largely unavailable throughout the country.
COVID-19 has not spared the rich and famous at all. Yesterday England’s Prince Charles was diagnosed with the illness; he reportedly has only mild symptoms.
Idris Elba has been self-isolating ever since he was diagnosed. He said he isn’t suffering any symptoms but was tested because he came into contact with another sufferer.
His wife, Sabrina Dhowre Elba, supposedly was unable to get a test for herself.
Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, also caught the virus while the actor was filming a movie in Australia.
The pair have been in quarantine since March 11, but both are apparently feeling better and are now recovering.