The United States has been dealing with a massive shortage of COVID-19 test kits, as many states are struggling to supply hospitals and clinics with them. Many people want to get tested for Coronavirus whether they are showing symptoms or not. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) failed to produce enough tests and was unprepared for the rapid outbreak of the virus. The United States is in an awful position because the CDC did not plan for the outbreak. Back in January, when the deadly cases began to spread, the U.S. did not follow test guidelines that the World Health Organization (WHO) had in place. Instead of following the WHOs’ guidelines, the CDC created its own diagnostics that could identify not only COVID-19 but other SARS similar to coronavirus. 

However, when the CDC sent tests to labs in February, the results proved to detect COVID-19, but it also produced false results when checking for other viruses. The CDC was wasting precious time attempting to fix the problem while the nation was itching for more tests. 

According to the COVID tracking project, as of April 3, California had only 100 COVID-19 test kits for every 100 thousand people. If California had more tests, they would likely see a large increase in the number of reported cases. 

The United States has not done enough to produce much-needed tests for everybody in the nation. The rapid production of masks should have begun much sooner, tests should have been in the works earlier, and the CDC should have had a plan in place as soon as the possibility of the pandemic arose. 

Tests are tricky to come by during, as there are not enough tests to meet the demands across the United States. Wealthy people often have the right connections and can get a test, even though it is unfair to people who are seriously concerned. People in this nation who are in dire need of diagnosis are not getting the care they need due to corruption, lack of preparedness by officials, and the little to no resources available.  

The Los Angeles and Metropolitan area has at least two “concierge doctors” that have tested hundreds of people and sold take-home tests according to CNN. Spokeswoman Veronica Harms said the Medical Board of California is aware of the situation and is looking into it.   

Doctors partaking in the scamming of people are despicable and need to be punished for putting a hefty, illegal price on tests. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning people that fake tests may be on the market and could pose serious health risks. It is important to be aware and educated on what is going on inorder to protect yourself from harm. 

Be careful of what you see and hear when it comes to a COVID-19 test kit because it could be a scam.