Q&A: I have a cough and fever. Should I get checked for coronavirus?

With the coronavirus outbreak now on six continents, some Americans have been wondering whether a fever and cough warrant a trip to the doctor. Here’s the good news: Virtually any primary care physician’s office can swab the inside of your nose or throat and do a test to quickly determine whether you have the flu. Should I go to the doctor’s office, urgent care clinic or emergency room just to be sure? As the coronavirus spreads more widely within the United States, hospital emergency departments will be better prepared than doctors’ offices or urgent care centers to handle patients who might be infected. That will reduce your risk of spreading germs to other people — and that will reduce the number of people tying up healthcare resources with symptoms that could be coronavirus, but aren’t.