2020 through 2021 were in the realm of you can’t make this s**t up. 2022 is starting off that way.
According to the Block Club Chicago, “Chicagoans are reporting problems at the largely unregulated pop-up sites: Results never come in. Workers fail to wear masks or gloves. Some facilities have tried to charge for tests that should be free.”
The operative word is unregulated.
The City of Chicago and the State of Illinois claim they are not responsible for regulating COVID testing sites. The sites are considered a business, not a health facility. Apparently, just about anyone can open and operate a pop-up testing site. Unlike other businesses the city and state regulate and sometimes overregulate, it appears pop-up testing sites are immune. They are not only immune, but they also have herd immunity, as they are popping up all over the city.
“I honestly felt like if I didn’t have COVID after going, I would have it upon leaving, which [in my opinion] is a major reason to avoid testing in the future,” he said.” (Block Club}
Other complaints:
- Filthy facilities
- Unmasked/ungloved staff
- Staff violating simple protective measures
- Accepting cash payment for free tests
- Charging for free tests
- Asking for Social Security numbers (Forbidden)
- Not returning test results
- Returning test results when none were submitted
- Inaccurate test results
- Improper testing procedures
This is ridiculous. The government is not supposed to look ridiculous. This is Chicago, Cook County, and Illinois, where the governments are run and administered by incompetents.
The article does not state if these “businesses” are licensed or supposed to be licensed. If so, their licenses must be on public display. If they are not licensed, they can be shut down immediately.
It would take nothing for the city or state to put these rogue pop-up testing sites out of business by labeling them health facilities or forcing them into compliance. They could send in health and building inspectors to cite them and shut them down. Are the storefronts even zoned to provide health testing services? Simple solutions to a simple problem. Something our simpleton leaders are incapable of figuring out. Instead, they claim they are not responsible and abdicate responsibility. The city of Chicago does not care about safety. Just look at their epic failure in handling the continuing violent crime wave throughout the city.
In the meantime, people wait in long lines at these pseudo-testing sites only to be scammed and conned by fraudsters. The city and state claim they can do nothing. Same old same old Chicago, Cook County, and Illinois. Nothing changes except the names. Buffoonery and incompetence are the norms. Simple solutions to simple problems evade our supposed leaders.
If you do not want to be scammed, conned, or the victim of an incompetent city, state, and county, this link will let you find legitimate testing sites.