Walking Dead actor Daniel Newman is self-quarantining with suspected coronavirus. Despite experiencing symptoms, Newman reported Friday on Instagram that he was unable to get tested because he didn’t meet the criteria.

Newman, who is openly gay, said some Walking Dead fans apparently spotted him at an emergency room. He thanked people for their concern and apologized for taking so long to respond, saying he needed time to process what had happened. Newman explained that he was recently in Australia for Mardi Gras Pride with Sam Smith, Dua Lipa and others.

“I was exposed to some sick people and I started developing symptoms and then back in the [S]tates I was notified someone in our group tested positive for #Covid19,” Newman wrote.

“I spent all day calling every urgent care and hospital,” he wrote, adding that none of them had tests. “Finally I found one emergency room that told me my symptoms match and to come in immediately. I did all the tests and they told me because I have ‘mild symptoms’ the government won’t allow them to process my tests!”

Newman said he was told they could only process tests for people with severe symptoms, the elderly, and those who had recently visited Italy or China. He said although the emergency room visit cost him $9,116, he was unable to find out whether he has the virus.

“They sent me home and tons of other ill people that could potentially infect their communities, just telling us to ‘self quarantine,'” Newman wrote.

“Why after almost 3 months since China is our country not prepared with tests, masks, hand sanitizer, toilet paper! … This was not a surprise, this was not being prepared. We’ve already gone through #H1N1 #SARS. [W]hy didn’t we have a pandemic unit ready when this happens every few years!?” Newman wrote, possibly alluding to the fact that President Donald Trump disbanded a federal pandemic unit in 2018.

“Everyone please treat each other with kindness and Love ❤️!” Newman wrote. “We are all going through this together. Young people are not immune, thousands of people are dying around the world. Please be safe, wash your hands, stay 6 feet or more away from people and stay home. I love you guys so much …”

Read Newman’s full post below.

View this post on Instagram

Thanks for all the concern! I guess a lot of #WalkingDead fans saw me in the emergency room regarding #CoronaVirus. Sorry I didn’t reply I needed time to process. So here’s what happened. Yes I was just in Australia with Sam Smith, Dua Lipa, and thousands of people from around the world for Mardi Gras Pride. I was exposed to some sick people and I started developing symptoms and then back in the states I was notified someone in our group tested positive for #Covid19. I spent all day calling every urgent care and hospital no one had tests! Finally I found one emergency room that told me my symptoms match and to come in immediately. I did all the tests and they told me because I have “mild symptoms“ the government won’t allow them to process my tests! They don’t have enough they’re not prepared, even though all my symptoms match. They’re only allowed to process “severe symptoms, elderly, or people recently in Italy and China”. It cost me $9,116!! and they didn’t even give me results. They sent me home and tons of other ill people that could potentially infect their communities, just telling us to “self Quarantine“. Why after almost 3 months since China is our country not prepared with tests, masks, hand sanitizer, toilet paper! Why after one day of shaky stock markets did they invest 1.5 trillion into the markets, but not the Healthcare system after three months! This was not a surprise, this was not being prepared. We’ve already gone through #H1N1 #SARS why didn’t we have a pandemic unit ready when this happens every few years!? Everyone please treat each other with kindness and Love ❤️! We are all going through this together. Young people are not immune, thousands of people are dying around the world. Please be safe, wash your hands, stay 6 feet or more away from people and stay home. I love you guys so much you can get a hold of me on here or Twitter if you need to talk I’m here for you. Love – D

A post shared by DANIEL NEWMAN (@danielnewman_) on Mar 20, 2020 at 12:54pm PDT