OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Washington state Legal professional Normal Bob Ferguson has filed a lawsuit in opposition to an Illinois-based COVID-19 testing firm, accusing it of improperly dealing with assessments and offering faux outcomes.
The lawsuit introduced Monday and filed in King County Superior Courtroom mentioned the Heart for COVID Management “failed to deliver prompt, valid and accurate results,” made misleading guarantees of outcomes inside 48 hours, and reportedly instructed its workers to “lie to patients on a daily basis,” The Seattle Instances reported.
It describes how the corporate expanded to about 300 areas all through the USA and picked up tens of 1000’s of assessments a day.
“Center for COVID Control contributed to the spread of COVID-19 when it provided false negative results,” Ferguson mentioned in an announcement. “These sham testing centers threatened the health and safety of our communities. They must be held accountable.”
The lawsuit additionally mentioned the Heart for COVID Management saved assessments in rubbish luggage — somewhat than correctly refrigerating them — backdated sample-collection dates so stale samples would nonetheless be processed and instructed its workers to lie when Washington residents requested about delayed outcomes.
The Heart for COVID Management didn’t reply to a request for remark Monday from the newspaper or from The Related Press. All of its areas are closed “until further notice,” in response to its web site.
The corporate mentioned in a information launch on the web site that it was utilizing “this operational pause to train additional staff.”
The Heart for COVID Management websites had been working in Washington state since October and was more and more well-liked notably after the speedy unfold of the omicron variant prompted an increase in demand for assessments.
Areas in Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, Lakewood, College Place, Auburn, Lynnwood, Everett, Port Orchard and Yakima in Washington promised free check outcomes inside quarter-hour for a speedy check and inside 48 hours for a extra delicate PCR check.
However lately, prospects all through the nation have been complaining concerning the heart’s delayed or lack of outcomes, main well being authorities in a number of states, together with California and Illinois, to launch investigations.
Metropolis officers in In Lakewood, Washington, issued a stop-work order at their native web site in mid-January after receiving complaints concerning the firm and discovering it was working and not using a enterprise license, “among other concerns,” the town mentioned.
The corporate didn’t have a license to function a enterprise in any Washington cities besides Yakima, in response to the lawyer common’s workplace.
Ferguson’s workplace plans to file a movement for preliminary injunction “soon to immediately stop the Center for COVID Control’s unlawful conduct,” his assertion mentioned.
The lawsuit asks the courtroom to order the Heart for COVID Management to pay civil penalties of as much as $12,500 per violation of the Shopper Safety Act and relinquish any earnings the corporate constructed from its “unlawful conduct,” along with completely closing all areas, the assertion mentioned.
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