Quebecers get a report on the number of people who have been tested, and their results, daily. We have adopted this as a barometer for the health of our regions. It’s hard to say what those numbers mean, though, in a world where our warning signs for a deadly disease are a list of the world’s most generic symptoms, and people can be carriers without seeming sick.
My daughter was not well on the weekend but we were told, upon receiving negative test results, that her doctor still wouldn’t see her. If symptoms persisted, they said, we should go get tested again.
It’s important not to think tests infallible, but what message does it send to lean on the daily update while also telling people that no doesn’t mean no and barring the door to the professionals who might be able to offer another answer?