Pharmacies grapple with shortage of COVID-19 tests

Those looking for rapid or at-home coronavirus tests may have a long search.

In the last few weeks, local and nationally-owned pharmacies and coronavirus test providers have reported shortages of the COVID-19 tests.

Derek Palisch, director of operations for John's Pharmacy in Cape Girardeau, said finding a supplier for COVID-19 tests has been difficult in the past two weeks. Rapid antigen tests have been especially hard to come by.

"Even the cost to obtain these tests have gone through the roof," Palisch said. "A lot of times, we're seeing products cost at least twice as much as they did in the beginning of the pandemic, maybe even more in some cases."

Brian Thompson, owner of Jones Drug Store in Jackson, said Jones Drug has seen a shortage of take-home COVID-19 tests. The drug store sold its last at-home test last week, but Thompson said he expects another shipment to arrive this week.

Some pharmacists correlated the shortage of tests to President Joe Biden's recent commitments to fighting the omicron variant.

On Dec. 21, the Biden administration announced plans to help protect U.S. citizens and assist communities in their battle against the omicron variant.

Part of the increased aid included the distribution of free rapid tests. Biden vowed his administration would purchase 500 million at-home rapid tests this winter for distribution starting this month.

The tests would be available for order on a website, according to a news release from the Biden administration. As of Monday, it remained unclear when the website will launch and how soon the free tests will become available to Americans.

"The worst possible scenario is that we're having an omicron surge and President Biden sucks up all the supply, basically, so no one can get tested," Abe Funk, co-owner of John's Pharmacy said. "We'll be way past this surge by the time the government actually hands out free at-home tests."

Pharmacist Christina Hart of MediCenter Pharmacy in Jackson said her location has rapid antigen tests, though the pharmacy does not offer at-home tests.

"It's been about two months that we've been trying to get them [at-home tests], but we haven't been able to get our hands on any," Hart said.

On Monday, U.S. Sens. Roy Blunt and Richard Burr "demanded answers" from the Biden administration on the dire COVID-19 test shortage.

In a letter, the senators urged U.S. Department of Health and Senior Services Secretary Xavier Becerra to detail the administration's strategy for solving the nation's shortage of COVID-19 tests.

Blunt and Burr pointed to five bipartisan bills that included $34.8 billion in funding for testing-related activities. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 allotted $47.8 billion for testing.

"With over $82.6 billion specifically appropriated for testing and flexibility within the department to allocate additional funds from COVID-19 supplemental bills or annual appropriations if necessary, it is unclear to us why we are facing such dire circumstances now," the senators wrote.

On Dec. 29, the Department of Defense announced a $137 million contract with MilliporeSigma through the American Rescue Plan Act. The Massachusetts-based pharmaceutical company manufactures nitrocellulose membranes, a key component of at-home test kits.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services hosted a testing event Sunday at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau. According to Lisa Cox, communications director for the department, a total of 73 people were tested at the event.

DHSS will host a second drive-up testing event from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Jan. 16 at the Osage Centre.

The Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center offers COVID-19 testing by appointment.

www.keepcapestrong.com lists local testing facilities.