A Positive Attitude to Negate a False Positive Test Result: An Intern’s Experience with COVID-19

Authors

  • Vanessa N. Youmbi Faculty of Medicine, Bel Campus University of Technology, Kinshasa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/ijms.2020.526

Keywords:

Medical student, Democratic Republic of Congo, Stigmatization, Coronavirus infections, Patient isolation, COVID-19

Abstract

I recount my experience as an intern in the Democratic Republic of Congo during the COVID-19 pandemic. I received a patient who was presumed to have COVID and was isolated. The first test result was a false positive, so I was discharged. Although I was not infected by COVID-19, I was adversely affected by it. The anxiety of waiting for test results and isolation are both mentally challenging. Also, COVID-related stigmatization is a serious complication of the disease. Targeted psychological interventions should prevent all three.

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Author Biography

Vanessa N. Youmbi, Faculty of Medicine, Bel Campus University of Technology, Kinshasa

Medical student

References

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Published

2020-05-19

How to Cite

N. Youmbi, V. (2020). A Positive Attitude to Negate a False Positive Test Result: An Intern’s Experience with COVID-19. International Journal of Medical Students, 8(2), 165–166. https://doi.org/10.5195/ijms.2020.526