Error in Carson City COVID-19 test performance leaves local resident in limbo

After spending over a week in horrible pain, a local quad-county resident was finally able to secure a COVID-19 test. However, the situation became all that more complicated when the test was administered incorrectly by Carson City Health and Human Services (CCHHS).

CCHHS admitted to the error, and has rescheduled a second test to be performed today.

For Amy (name has been changed for medical privacy), the last week has been something akin to a nightmare.

“I’ve never wished for a positive flu test more than I did (that day),” said Amy.

Since news of COVID-19 began circulating, Amy began taking precautions. She tried to quarantine as much as possible, but because she is still considered an essential worker, she has been required to go into work.

During the last few weeks, she has been around co-workers and members of the public on a daily basis. However, besides that, she stayed inside with her child and avoided going to stores or out into public.

Even still, on Tuesday, March 31, she woke up with chest discomfort and a dry throat, but didn’t think much of it.

By the next day, however, she found herself in a considerable amount of pain.

“It hurt when I took a deep breath, talked for too long, laughed, coughed, and swallowed,” said Amy. “At this point I was a little concerned.”

By Thursday, every time she took a deep breath it felt like someone was punching her in the chest, she said. At 8 a.m. she took her temperature, which came back normal. By 10 a.m. it had risen to 101.1 degrees.

“I had zero appetite and I became very nauseous,” she said. “My back was in a lot of pain. I had a terrible headache.”

At this point she called Carson City Health and Human Services. They told her she needed to go get a flu and a strep test, but also made an appointment for her to come and get a COVID-19 test the following day.

She received negative tests for both flu and strep. Her nurse and doctor told her they were certain she had COVID-19, and needed to be tested for it as soon as possible.

That night, her fever rose considerably, and she was wracked with chills and body spasms for the rest of the night.

She arrived at Carson City Health and Human Services Friday morning at 9 a.m. to receive her test.

“Two women came out of the building and asked for my name and birthday,” said Amy. “They went back inside and came right back out with the swab.”

One woman, who was wearing a mask and gloves, performed the test, Amy said, while another woman, who did not have any PPE on, watched the first woman perform the test.

“She put the swab in both of my nostrils, and she did not penetrate my nasal cavity,” said Amy. “I remember thinking that was better than the flu test was the day before.”

She was told her test would return within 1-4 days, and she returned home. While Facetiming with a friend, who works as a nurse at Carson Tahoe Hospital and had been performing tests, she learned the test had been performed incorrectly.

“When I told her how they had tested me, she said it was going to come back negative because they performed the test wrong,” said Amy. “That’s when I learned that the swab is supposed to go as far back in the naval cavity as possible.”

It is supposed to four inches back into the nasal cavity, to be precise. But according to Amy, the swab went just inside her nostrils.

On Saturday, Amy received a call from CCHHS stating her test was negative.

“I didn’t argue, I just took it for what it was,” said Amy. “That night I seemed to have regressed and my chest hurt badly again. My fever spiked to 103 and my headache returned.”

On Sunday, Amy woke feeling far worse. She woke with raspy breathing, a very dry throat, and a dry cough.

“Every time I cough it hurts my lungs, throat, and head,” said Amy. “I was fighting a fever all day long with chills and hot sweats again.”

She then called CCHHS and asked if they would test her again because she was getting significantly worse. She was told if she was getting worse, she should go to the E.R.

“I informed them they did the test wrong the first time, and the person I spoke to became very offensive.”

According to Amy, the person she spoke to said it was a “lofty accusation” and asked her how many tests she had performed, and whether or not she was a nurse.

“I can understand her frustration,” said Amy. “Everyone is on high alert and has a short fuse. I can’t get any medication without a positive test because I’ve tested negative for everything else, flu, strep, it’s not bronchitis, it’s not pneumonia, and it’s definitely not a cold. I just feel like this puts people at risk because they’re not testing correctly.”

Amy contacted the E.R., who said she would have to meet all their criteria to be tested.

“I feel like I was lucky to get tested once as it is,” said Amy. “I don’t want a $1,000 bill for them to not test me.”

However, on Monday, Amy received a call from CCHHS and said they would retest her on Tuesday.

Public Information Officer Jessica Rapp confirmed a test was performed incorrectly on Friday after speaking to CCHHS Tuesday morning.

“There was one instance of a swab being pulled back so it did not go in as far as it should have for an accurate test,” said Rapp. “That individual was contacted yesterday and rescheduled for an additional test.”

As far as Health knows, said Rapp, this is the only occurrence of a test not being performed correctly.

There are now new swabs that have been sent over which no longer need to be inserted as far into the nasal cavity for an accurate reading, said Rapp.

If you were tested for COVID-19 at CCHHS and you believe the test may have been administered incorrectly and received a negative result, please contact CCHHS.