COVID: San Francisco Health Officials Warn Of Unauthorized Testing Sites Popping Up Across City

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – Health officials in San Francisco are warning residents about unauthorized COVID-19 testing sites, as demand for tests remains high amid the omicron surge.

“Unauthorized COVID-19 test sites are popping up throughout the City,” the city’s Department of Public Health tweeted Friday.

Unauthorized COVID-19 test sites are popping up throughout the City. We know demand for testing is high. Please use authorized testing sites or FDA-approved rapid tests. Go to your provider first, if you have one, or check out testing sites in SF at https://t.co/BpmMAW3Jxy.

— SFDPH (@SF_DPH) January 7, 2022

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Additional details about the unauthorized San Francisco sites were not immediately available, but similar schemes have been reported in other parts of the country.

Last month, the attorney general in Maryland issued a consumer alert about unlicensed sites in the Baltimore area, saying they are taking personal information such as Social Security numbers, drivers’ license information, health insurance information, along with DNA. The sites were located outside stores, shopping centers and along the side of the road.

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“Providing personal information, such as Social Security Numbers, to individuals hosting one of these pop-up sites not only puts your health at risk, but increases your chances of becoming a victim of identity theft,” Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh said at the time.

Unauthorized COVID-19 testing sites have also been reported in other cities, including Chicago and St. Louis. In Illinois, Attorney General Kwame Raoul warned consumers to watch for certain red flags, including sites that are charging out of pocket costs and staffers who are unmasked or not wearing appropriate PPE.

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With COVID on the rise, many people have been turning to unregulated pop-up testing sites across Illinois.

If you encounter a testing site you believe is not operating properly, please file a complaint with our office: https://t.co/OcgqiwQkA3 pic.twitter.com/A31VaQOH0o

— IL Attorney General (@ILAttyGeneral) January 4, 2022

The warning comes as the Bay Area and California is seeing a surge in cases due to the omicron variant. As of Friday, the state’s 7-day test positivity rate was at 21.8 percent, according to the California Department of Public Health.

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SFDPH urged residents to use FDA-approved rapid test kits, to get tested through their healthcare provider or through other authorized sites. Information about authorized sites can be found by visiting sf.gov/gettested.