Need a new scanner...

There might not be a direct interaction about the scanner but maybe there is the option to ask them about the spores? I've only played through with a single sim and never lost the scanner so I'm not really sure.

It's not in buy debug mode?

It's in buy debug search for infection scanner I lost mine and had to buy it

I bought additional scanners from debug so I wouldn't have to wait for one to recharge.

Thanks folks! Likes for all!

I put my sims scanner and suit and vaccine in a room and saved to my library so I just pull it out when needed

I bought additional scanners from debug, too. I noticed my first household didn't get the option to ask about scanners anymore when I had my first. I thought it was capped at one scanner per household to prevent us circumventing the cooldown. But it seems we are only allowed a single scanner per save. Therefore my second team borrows the first team's scanner, but for my third team, that cannot borrow from the other two for backstory reasons, I had to resort to cheats.