BCPH believes residents are refusing to get Covid-19 tested in fear of restrictions

Butte County Public Health (BCPH) said they believe community members are refusing to get tested for fear of more restrictions.

Here's what we know today -- of the the region: take a look... you can see butte has 10 new cases today... bringing the total to 2958... that 10 out of just about 550 tests processes..

A little on the low end since the county has processed nearly 61- thousand tests.

Action news now reporter dani masten with us now -- dani what do county leaders think is going on to keep new cases pretty low?

Well hayley, public health say that people are refusing to get tested even as health providers are asking them to.

The health department says they think people are doing this to keep the cases down and business open.

Dani asks question: what do you think when you hear this?

Sot/paul beltz/lives in chico "i think that is insane.

I think that it is a height of irresponsibility.

I think it is ignorant.

I think it is uneducated and i think it is self-centered, to be blunt."

Today - butte county public health department saying that some people are refusing to get tested& even if they are experiencing symptoms. people in chico are very concerned about how this could impact them, especially those who could bring the virus home to their family members at high risk.

Sot/ theo westbrook/lives in chico "i work for elderly people and i take care of my mom right now and these people are in the bracket for risk and yea that sounds dangerous."

Sot/ krystal alvarez/lives in chico state "they know what they are doing and they should be responsible of their own actions.

Like if you know you have it just wait the two weeks to know when you are feeling better.

A majority of us are doing it safely so i mean, take care of your own actions."

Dani stand up the health departments concern is that people with symptoms won't come to testing sites like the one here behind me say this doesn't help the accuracy of the case numbers.

Danette york/butte county public health "not only does the state consider our positivity rates, they also consider the total tests that we perform throughout the county.

Refusing a test, could actually hurt our rates using that statistic when they see we are not testing enough in the county."

Danette yorkã director for butte county public health added that if they don't know that someone has the virus, then they can't stop the virus.

In the studioãi'm dani masten, action news now, coverage you can count on.

Testing location sites in chico can be located at the cvs on esplanade and forest, ampla health and at the old rabo bank on mangrove.