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Passenger on JetBlue flight that had coronavirus patient gives update 1 week after self-quarantine

37 year old says he's unable to get tested
Scott Rodman
Posted at 1:02 PM, Mar 19, 2020
and last updated 2020-03-19 18:33:03-04

PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — One of the passengers on a JetBlue flight that landed at Palm Beach International Airport last week with a COVID-19 positive patient says a week later he is still not sure if he has the virus.

On Thursday morning, WPTV interviewed the passenger, Scott Rodman, 37, from his parents' house in Palm Beach County where he has been staying since March 11.

“If I don’t have all the symptoms there’s no test,” said Rodman. “The mental part has been awful. It truly feels like you’re just waiting around to get sick."

On March 11, the Palm Beach County Health Department examined all the passengers on board the flight from New York after learning a passenger who was wearing a mask had tested positive for the virus.

Rodman said health officials released him and the other passengers with instructions to monitor themselves.

In a statement, the Health Department said the passengers were considered low risk or no risk and were released with instructions to call if they had any questions.

Rodman says he doesn’t feel comfortable being out in public if he isn’t sure if he is contagious. He said he did have a slight fever this week along with head and body aches.

“Anytime I reached out to their people, it’s the same answer: unless you’re showing all symptoms we will not test,” Rodman said. “I’m very worried, because like I said, we’ve been incredibly unprepared. The lack of testing is egregious in my opinion.”