Coronavirus Update: FDA Says At-Home COVID-19 Test Kits Unauthorized

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Coronavirus Update: FDA Says At-Home COVID-19 Test Kits Unauthorized

KEY POINTS

FDA said none of the at-home test kits available in the market has yet been approved and authorized by it

It said it will issue warning letters, seizures or injunctions against the companies that were selling the fraudulent products

FDA said it was “stepping up enforcement at ports of entry, including International Mail Facilities” to deter import of fraudulent products

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday dismissed the at-home coronavirus tests available in the market as “unauthorized fraudulent test kits.”

FDA said it “actively and aggressively” surveyed the market for firms dealing in “fraudulent coronavirus (COVID-19) diagnostic, prevention and treatment claims” in an effort to protect public health at the onset of the viral pandemic, which led the agency to the identification of several such unproven products.

“We want to alert the American public that, at this time, the FDA has not authorized any test that is available to purchase for testing yourself at home for COVID-19,” it said in its consumer alert, adding that the agency was mulling over the inclusion of at-home kits for COVID-19 in its future inventory of safer and accurate tests.

“Fraudulent health claims, tests, and products can pose serious health risks. They may keep some patients from seeking care or delay necessary medical treatment,” according to the statement.

It said it will take needful action against companies that were capitalizing on the ongoing crisis by deceiving the public into buying tests that pose risk to their health. Earlier this month, the agency and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) jointly issued warning letters to seven companies that were promoting fraudulent products citing a cure for COVID-19.

The agency said additional actions will be forthcoming, this time in conjunction with “seizures or injunctions.” Additionally, it said it was “stepping up enforcement at ports of entry, including International Mail Facilities” to clamp down on the import of fraudulent products originated in foreign countries.

It urged people to report any fraudulent test kits for COVID-19 that they chance upon. “We will continue to aggressively pursue those who place the public health at risk and hold bad actors accountable,” the statement added.

Here's the list of 75 districts placed under lockdown in India due to coronavirus COVID-19

In a major step to curb coronavirus outbreak in the country, the central and state government issued order to lock down all the coronavirus affected district in the country. More than 75 districts have now been put under lockdown in India to practise social distancing and avoid the spread of virus in the country.

Only essential stores like that of grocery,medicine and petrol pumps will remain open in the locked down districts and public transportation movement is completely restricted. State governments have also ordered closure of schools, colleges and offices amid the virus outbreak.

Here's the complete list of districts put under lockdown:

State District Andhra Pradesh     Prakasam Vijayawada Vizag Chandigarh Chandigarh Chhattisgarh Raipur Delhi     Central East Delhi North Delhi North West Delhi North East Delhi South Delhi West Delhi Gujarat     Kutchh Rajkot Gandhinagar Surat Vadodara Ahmedabad Haryana     Faridabad Sonepat Panchkula Panipat Gurugram Himachal Pradesh Kangra UT of Jammu and Kashmir     Srinagar Jammu Karnataka     Bangalore Chikkaballapur Mysore Kodagu Kalaburgi Kerala     Alappuzha Ernakulam IDUKKI Kannur Kasaragod Kottayam Malappuram Pathanamthitta Thiruvananthapuram Thrissur UT of Ladakh     Kargil Leh MP Jabalpur Maharashtra Ahmednagar   Aurangabad Mumbai Nagpur Mumbai Sub-Urb Pune Ratnagiri Raigad Thane Yavatmal Odisha Khurda Puducherry Mahe Punjab     Hoshiarpur SAS Nagar SBS Nagar Rajasthan     Bhilwara Jhunjhunu Sikar Jaipur Tamil Nadu     Chennai Erode   Kanchipuram Telangana     Hyderabad     Bhadradri Kothagudem   Medchal   Ranga reddy   Sangareddy Uttar Pradesh     Agra GB Nagar Ghaziabad Varanasi Lakhimpur Kheri Lucknow Uttarakhand Dehradun West Bengal     Kolkata North 24 Parganas In India the coronavirus cases rose to 415 on Monday (March 22, 2020) and a total of 8 deaths were reported in the country. Maharashtra is the worst hit state in India with 89 cases. 

SO THAT'S ALL FOR TODAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!