So I have a fever of 38.1 and I feel like absolute garbage. My work requires me to get tested, which I understand, however the company CEO is my mother in law, and dad is also employed with us. They refuse to bring me to the hospital because they’ll have to isolate too. I live in a rural area in Okayama, and the nearing testing site is 10km away and there’s no trains that directions. They make you wait outside or in a car (I’ve done this one place before) for about 45 minutes. The next option is 30km away.
They expect me to put down all my money on a taxi, roll up to the hospital and pay for the long idling time while I wait for results and come home after a couple hours. I’m a little bit annoyed because I feel very sick, walking down the hall to the bathroom is a chore as it is, and they want me to do all this on my own. I don’t drive, otherwise I would just go that route. I also don’t have any friends to take me. Only mom or dad, but they can’t help.
I can’t speak much Japanese yet, so I can’t call a hospital and ask for advice, which is why I post here. Are there testing methods for at home? What would you suggest I do?
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Your partner can’t help you at all? Do you need a PCR test or would an antigen test from home also be ok (drugstore)? After a short search on the internet, there seem to be PCR tests that can be sent by delivery service, but you need to know Japanese. At least your partner or your parents (in law) could help you with that?
Try to contact the health center 保健所 and see what they say? Good chance it is corona. the cases are really too high. I got infected just last weekend and I take a lot of precautions.
Get better! Do you have a conbini or a drug store close(r) by? They may sell test kits, antigen tests for sure and mail-in PCR if you’re lucky. At the convenience store it might be a card hanging next to iTunes credit. If your in-laws don’t want to drive you maybe they can pick up a test kit and drop it off at your door.
Before you call a cab you should have somebody confirm they accept patients showing symptoms at the testing site. And if you do get a cab, don’t make it wait with you. That seems unfair to expose an old chain smoker to that risk longer than necessary. “Kuruma ga nai” is the key phrase to tell the test people you don’t own a car. Pack a fan, an umbrella, and wet towels in a cool bag to wipe your skin if they do make you wait outside. It’s a shitty situation and I wish you all the best. Managing COVID shit here with limited language ability is shit. But it isn’t much less shit if you speak it too.
You can buy a test kit sent to you by post, and you return the sample the same way. Sure, it takes a few days to turnaround, but it’s an option.
[This is one that I have used in the past.](https://www.smartampstationdnaform.jp/) I’m sure there are many others too.
I believe a number of drug stores would have a mail-in PCR kits, and ’15-minute’ antigen tests too.
At this time, rest and drink lots of water. No need to push yourself too hard – but don’t hesitate to call for an ambulance if you need to see a doctor.
Buy an antigen test on Amazon.