Homeless Driver Holding DPD Accountable

EDIT: I am using this GoFundMe to fund coverage efforts on the protests in Dallas, TX to help the black community keep police accountable. For my journey and the actions that led me to this journey, read below. I’ve been doing gig work for about nine months, driving for Uber and delivering food for Uber Eats and Postmates. It’s my only source of income right now — I became homeless recently, and I depend on gig work to pay for the motel I’m staying at now. The flexibility of this work is vital to me as a single dad to be able to make an income and care for my two-year-old daughter rather than having to just work to pay childcare. I went to the hospital yesterday because I had a sore throat, shortness of breath, and other symptoms. I didn’t originally think I had COVID-19 — I thought I might have strep because my daughter had it last month. When I went to the hospital, I was stopped at the door, asked about my symptoms, and tested for flu and strep. I tested negative for both. The doctor apologized to me and told me I couldn’t be tested for COVID-19 despite having all the symptoms on the grounds that I haven't traveled outside of the US, despite the fact that as an Uber driver that also handles food, I could become a public health hazard. Because I tested negative for flu and strep and wasn’t eligible for a test, I was advised to self-quarantine. But I cannot do that because to qualify for any sort of pay or aid gig companies are offering sick workers, I have to take a test, and test positive. Now I'm stuck with a medical bill I can't pay. I only went to a hospital because I believed the companies when they said they would take care of us when we were sick. But because of the very high barrier they have around qualifications to receive aid, I can’t qualify for any of it. I can’t get a test, and because I can’t get a test, I can’t get any time off or aid. And that means I have no choice but to continue working. If I miss a payment to the motel, they kick me out the door. I feel terrible about it, because my job means I could be a vector for this disease. We’re interacting with ten, fifteen, maybe twenty people a day, getting in enclosed spaces in our cars, driving them around. Some of the people we’re delivering food to are staying in and ordering food because they’re especially vulnerable — a friend of mine is self-isolating because she lives with her grandparents, who have lung conditions, and she’s having food delivered to her house so that she doesn’t have to leave. That means people like me who have symptoms and have to work are bringing her food. I know I’m being selfish by continuing to work. If we were to weigh priorities here, it’s better for me to be homeless than for people to die. But I have a two-year-old daughter. I would love to self-quarantine like my doctors have suggested, but financially, and for my family, I can’t do that. I’m dreading going to work. The possibility of spreading this illness to vulnerable people is weighing heavily on my mind. The lives of the elderly and immunocompromised are just as important as my life — but I’m making an impossible choice between spreading illness and being unable to care for my daughter. Due to my symptoms and the risk I pose to public health, I'm going to make an attempt to quarantine myself until tests are available to people in my area. I’d like to see government stepping up too — they have the ability to pass emergency measures to make sure workers can stay home if they need to, and include gig workers in any measures they pass. We need emergency mandates at the national or state level to allow us to collect unemployment or give us as much paid time off as we need to recover — even if we are classified as independent contractors and otherwise ineligible for these benefits. And we need emergency bills passed that will put a pause on evictions and mortgage payments so that workers don’t have to worry about becoming homeless because they’re staying home from work. It's abundantly clear those of us without insurance or means of providing for ourselves during illness will not be acknowledged during this crisis. We will have to continue going to work despite carrying this disease because to qualify for the financial assistance programs gig companies are offering, you NEED to take the COVID-19 test. I could be directly responsible for the death of my customers because I can't afford even a single day off work. I do not want to be responsible for the death or debilitation of even a single person, and to avoid that I need the help of an entire village. Thank you for reading, I appreciate your time, and stay safe!