Letters to the Editor: What would it take to feel safe at the doctor? Testing and more testing

To the editor: Like columnist David Lazarus, I am concerned about the risks of visiting my doctor because of COVID-19 and have canceled or postponed appointments.

What would really give me enough confidence to make all my appointments would be if all staff in medical offices had frequent testing. If patients also could get tested prior to going in for medical procedures, as well as tested a few days after with quick results, that would also help.

The current situation is that we must have a doctor’s order based on symptoms or suspected exposure in order to even get a test, and results may not be available for a week or more.

Why should we have to weigh the risks of postponing healthcare against catching COVID-19 at the doctor’s office? We need readily available testing and fast results.

Laurie Jacobs, San Clemente

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To the editor: Lazarus admits he’s considering skipping his September flu shot. I hope he does get the shot as soon as it is available.

I am not sanguine about the risk of visiting a doctor in the fall. But, flu and COVID-19 symptoms are similar, and coinfection may be pretty devastating.

The politics surrounding COVID-19 are nasty. This administration may well be manipulating federal agencies on treatments and public health measures. If President Trump wins, we’ll get more of the same.

But if he loses, he may well practice scorched-Earth measures to cripple the Biden administration. Just look at what the Republicans did in North Carolina after a Democrat won the race for governor in 2016.

Steve Rubin, M.D., Chatsworth