The answer has always been the press, but those times no longer exist.
Diabetes put you into the critical category along with me.
While it smells like socialism, it is really just realities. As adults we both realize the difference. Those with symptoms should be tested first until supply catches up to demand, which should improve on a daily and weekly basis. Socialism never changes its priorities, but when circumstances exist the common man will be ignored, and the elite will be tested first, period. In our circumstance, those who are exhibiting symptoms, are tested before those who do not exhibit any symptoms. This is done for 2 reasons. The first being that they be in more urgent need of having medical assistance. The second being that identifying those infected means they can be removed from the general population thus curtailing additional spread by that infected person. The quicker they can be identified and quarantined means on less source of spread. At least in theory that is the most obvious tact to take.
of course there are problems even following that mandate. For there are people that will lie about their symptoms and are adroit at being able to successfully mimic certain symptom. Those who exhibit one or more symptoms, but tests results come up negative because they have the flu for example, and not Covid-19.. So there the tests were a waste, while the person who shows no symptoms is in fact infected by Covid-19 goes untested and is released back into the general population to infect others.
Thus my contention that a perfect system cannot be developed. 8>)
Someone else responded to me saying that there are now do it yourself tests for at home application. But there are issues with that test as well. First it has to mailed to you and even if it is overnight that is a day lost. Not bad but still causes a delay. Then the test is not one where the result can be determined at home. It requires a lab. So now you have to return the sample back to the company, another day lost even if it is sent overnight. Then they guarantee 48 hours to deliver. So at best you have cut a 5 day result period to just a 4 day result period. In addition it costs 181.00 which may be out of reach for some, while others may be too incensed to spend the money. furthermore, you have to describe to them your symptoms and then they will make a determination if your symptoms warrant receiving a test kit. So basically you are back to where you started from. 8.)
I am appalled with some of the elite bureaucratic tyrants preying on our system.