FOX31 Denver

‘Not professional’: Health violations force shutdown of COVID testing sites

Carly Moore

DENVER (KDVR) — Nearly a dozen COVID testing sites run by two different companies have been shut down by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser’s office until certain requirements are met. 

The Problem Solvers were looking into at least one of these sites and pressing the AG’s office for answers on Saturday.

According to the attorney general, two different cease and desist letters have been sent to COVID testing companies for different public health violations.  

“It is terrifying,” Weiser said. “I’ve heard reports about people showing up in different testing facilities and having the distinct impression that the people doing it were not professionals.” 

One company is Center for COVID Control, which has three sites in question across Colorado.  

The sites operated by the Center for COVID Control are accused of misrepresenting the certification and approval of each of their testing sites. 

“When you get tested for COVID, you can and should expect that the professionals testing you are using proper PPE,” said Weiser. “In the worst-case scenario, you could imagine someone showing up for a test to get tested and actually getting COVID because the people doing the testing aren’t protecting themselves.”

Center for COVID Control sent FOX31 a statement: ”We acknowledged the desire to step back briefly, evaluate company operations, resolve operational inequities and return to its important mission of providing accurate, timely, affordable covid-19 testing on January 23, 2022.”

The second company in question is Macagain, which has eight sites across the state. 

The sites operated by Macagain are violating the public health orders that require entities performing COVID tests to report test result information to the Colorado Department of Health and Environment.   

“We take reporting test results very seriously. As people understand, we’re making judgments based on what the test results are, and when someone says they’re going to engage in testing, we depend on them to send in the results accurately,” Weiser said. “This testing site and set of sites weren’t doing that. That’s a threat to public health, [and] that goes against what the regulations require, and that’s part of why we have to shut them down.”

Khalid Ansari with Macagain said it’s true they have not reported, but it’s not for lack of trying. 

“The sheer amount of volume and we tried to load it they just fail,” Ansari said.  “We just don’t have enough people to go and sit and enter each record at a time. You know, it’s just impossible that we don’t have this kind of capacity.”

Ansari said over the eight Colorado sites they’ve done more than 30,000 tests since November and they are overwhelmed but are willing to hand over the data, however, they feel shutting down their sites causes more harm than good.  

“People really come to us because they want to go back to work. So that’s kind of like a disservice to the community but, like, where else would they go? CVS is not accepting them. Walgreen’s doesn’t. I mean where would they go?” Ansari said.  

The Colorado attorney general says both companies are shut down unless they can provide proper certifications and requirements, and that they follow reporting requirements by Jan. 21.  

“For any entity out there that’s not going to follow the book [and] is going to prey on people [and] act illegally and wrongfully, we will come after you,” said Weiser.  

Weiser said if you have recently got tested at one of these sites, the best thing to do – for peace of mind – is to get re-tested.   

The following locations were issued a cease and desist order:

Locations operated by Center for COVID Control

Locations operated by Macagain Corp.