Hospitals are generally doing everything they can to protect people like you from being exposed to and then getting COVID-19. The protocols are universally known, staff are expected to wear protective gear and masks and to follow universal infection control protocols. Undoubtedly some are going to be better at this that others, but they should all be doing it. Separating people without COVID from those with is a basic thing that every hospital is doing; it's not something she made up.

You definitely have a choice here. You need to decide based on risk versus benefit. Cellulitis can be very dangerous if left untreated and losing a limb isn't completely outside the realm of possibility. In most states, people are going to the hospital regularly for things other than COVID and they are not exposed to the virus and they don't die from it. Even if you were to contract it, there's still a reasonable chance that you would survive with few complications. It's not an automatic death sentence because you have COPD as you seem to think it is.

If you're in a large metropolitan area in Texas, Florida or California, that will influence your thinking. If you're in an area where things aren't as bad as they are in those areas, I believe you're taking less of a risk by going than by staying home. I think if you stay home, you'll end up going anyway and the consequences could be a lot worse.

Hi Carol,
Most everyone in my family agrees with you (there's only three, but all of them say to just go.)
One of the nurses at the Walk-In Clinic told me that when I got to the hospital, they'd test for covid. And if I don't have it (and I don't think I do) I'd be put "in a separate part of the hospital where it's safe from Covid." That just sounded like something she made up, I mean to me it did.
I wasn't overly worried about getting the virus until now, and the idea of it with COPD is terrifying.
I appreciate your answer, thank you so much for taking the time to send it.
Take care,
Tonnie

By the sound of things I think I would take the risk and go to the ER. Wear a mask and use sanitizer.