COVID-19 tests of all types are in demand at the start of 2022 as the Omicron variant sweeps across the U.S. In some regions, supplies of tests are running low. In other places, labs are struggling to get results.
In some testing venues, there’s also confusion. Ingrid, of Williamstown, Mass., tells us she encountered a delay in getting her test results from Walgreens and had a hard time getting answers.
“Over ten days now and no test results,” Ingrid wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. “Walgreens claims a 24-hour turnaround time--their partner says that is not true.”
Because of obstacles Ingrid and many other consumers are facing, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is worried that scammers will enter the vacuum to peddle all sorts of plentiful – but fake – COVID-19 tests.
“Some people and companies are trying to profit from this pandemic by selling unproven and illegally marketed products that make false claims,” the FDA said in a consumer update.
In addition to COVID-19 tests that are unproven and unreliable, the agency is cautioning consumers to be on the lookout for alleged treatments and cures for the virus. Officials say these bogus products began appearing early in the pandemic but may become more prevalent during the current surge in new cases.
To date, the FDA has granted emergency use authorization to only three vaccines. The mRNA vaccines produced by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna require two shots, along with a recommended booster....
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