Opinion: Dave and his mom get tested for COVID-19
Apr 14, 2020, 5:03 PM
KSL Host Dave Noriega is tested for COVID-19
This is an editorial piece. An editorial, like a news article, is based on fact but also shares opinions. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and are not associated with our newsroom.
I got tested for COVID-19 and I Facebook Live’d (is that a word?) the whole thing.
You can watch it. Here’s the link:
Dave Noriega-KSL gets tested for COVID-19. He hears that it’s unpleasant. Let’s see if that is true.
Posted by KSL Newsradio on Tuesday, April 14, 2020
If you want to jump straight to the action you can see me get the nasal swab at 6:35.
My mom joined me to get tested for COVID-19, and reacted far more dramatically. Watch her reaction at 11:45.
Why did I get tested?
I went to TestUtah.com. The state of Utah partnered with Silicon Slopes and developed a coronavirus testing plan. You go to the website, answer some questions, and an algorithm decides whether or not you get tested for COVID-19.
They ask some fairly obvious questions: name, DOB, email, phone number, etc.
They asked me if I had any symptoms? No.
Have I been social distancing? Yes. (In fact, it’s been five weeks since I’ve been in the KSL NewsRadio studios.)
Have I been around someone who has tested positive for COVID-19? No.
There were a few more questions, but basically I’m the model citizen. I do everything right—not perfectly—but mostly right.
To my surprise, I got selected.
Why did my mom also get a test?
When I told my mom I was getting tested, she made a comment.
“I wish I could get tested,” she said.
So, she took the TestUtah.com survey and she, too, got selected.
We went to Ogden Regional Medical Center, where we pulled under a tent and nurses swabbed our noses.
How was it?
You have to watch the video, but honestly? Not that bad. It wasn’t pleasant. I didn’t enjoy it, but the absolute scare tactics that were used on me by my co-host Debbie Dujanovic were unsuccessful.
They stick a cotton swab up your nose about 3.5 inches, scrub your brain cells and pull it out—maybe they don’t quite reach the brain cells, but they definitely go deep.
Mom’s experience was a little different. She hated it and complained the entire car ride home.
We won’t have results for another 72 hours. Whatever they are, I will share the results after I know. Negative or positive.
In conclusion, I decided to get tested because I hope that it helps us better understand COVID-19. With better data we can make better decisions and if the worst thing that happens is an uncomfortable 10-second nose swab, then I’m happy to lend my nasal cavity to science—and mom’s, too.
Dave & Dujanovic can be heard weekdays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on KSL NewsRadio. Users can find the show on the KSL NewsRadio website and app, as well as Apple Podcasts and Google Play.
How To Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 Coronavirus
COVID-19 coronavirus spreads from person to person, similar to the common cold and the flu. So, to prevent it from spreading:
- Wash hands frequently and thoroughly, with soap and water, for at least 20 seconds.
- Don’t touch your face.
- Keep children and those with compromised immune systems away from someone who is coughing or sneezing (in this instance, at least six feet)
- If there is an outbreak near you, practice social distancing (stay at home, instead of going to the movies, sports events, or other activities.)
- Get a flu shot.
Local resources
Utah’s Coronavirus Information
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Utah Coronavirus Information Line – 1-800-456-7707
National Resources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Commonly asked questions, World Health Organization
