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Comment by g_p | Hacker News Reader

Nice initiative! Testing seems key to getting control of spread, so anything that can make it easier to get people tested is key. I wonder if there's enough capacity among the testing facilities to signal when they are out of capacity, or severely backlogged on tests, to avoid potentially affected people arriving needlessly?

One technical issue though - I'm seeing a white (blank) page when visiting in Firefox, though it seems to load fine in Chrome.

2 errors in the JS console, in case they help:

TypeError: "navigator.geolocation is undefined" at react-dom.production.min.js:196:194

TypeError: navigator.geolocation is undefined at App.tsx:121:4

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> so anything that can make it easier to get people tested is key

Unfortunately not necessarily. We are past testing in some areas, and people seeking testing is putting strain on overloaded resources.

See for example:

“Not every single person in the U.S. needs to get tested,” said Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. “When you go in and get tested, you are consuming personal protective equipment, masks and gowns — those are high priority for the health care workers who are taking care of people who have coronavirus disease.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/03/21/coronavirus...

[edit: tldr; There is no such thing as "getting tested". Stop looking for reassurance over a cough and fever; YOU WILL NOT BE TESTED FOR MILD SYMPTOMS; you're wasting very limited and precious healthcare resources which people who are potentially dying from severe symptoms need access to. Just. Stay. Home! /rant]

Woah man, your tone is a bit over the top here. People may not know what's going on.

I understand you're upset, it's a very upsetting situation. But venting to HN won't really help the things that are upsetting to you.

It's more effective I think to explain the situation clearly and help other on this site understand why mass testing is not a good idea in parts of the US.

EDIT: thanks the edit is much more effective!

I get what you are saying but it is getting really boring explaining basic facts again and again and again. The whole 'my opinion is valuable and the world is a debate' is great in good times. These are bad times and lots of people really do need to stop talking and start listening.

EDIT I hope the downvoters and their families make it through the epidemic alive.

Thanks! Logged

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