County health department issues rapid test warning as nationwide shortage impacts supply

MIAMI VALLEY — Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County is issuing a warning to people as the region is impacted by a nationwide shortage in rapid at-home antigen tests.

“Don’t just go to a store and you see some and get 10 tests and keep them in a drawer,” said Dan Suffoletto, spokesman for Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County. “Only get tests if you need a test...we want people to be using them who need them.”

>> Coronavirus Tests: What types are there and how are they different?

Suffoletto said Public Health has distributed about 5,000 at-home antigen tests to area libraries in the county, however News Center 7 checked and most libraries locally have been out of the rapid tests. The same can be said for many groceries and pharmacies across the region.

“Currently there is a nationwide demand for the at-home test kits,” Suffoletto said. “There’s also not great availability in places like grocery stores and pharmacies, because all of those test kits are coming from similar types of manufacturers.”

Gov. Mike DeWine announced Monday night that the Ohio Department of Health, the Ohio National Guard and the Ohio Hospital Association will be expanding COVID-19 testing locations in nine Ohio cities, including Dayton.

>> DeWine expanding COVID-19 testing locations with support from Ohio National Guard

Rapid antigen tests are available without a physician’s order at the Dayton Children’s Hospital South Campus at 3300 West Tech Road in Springboro Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. There is a $60 cost for the rapid antigen test at the Dayton Children’s location.

Suffoletto said the omicron variant and its ability to spread from person to person quickly is driving the demand for testing.

The demand has prompted the federal government to take action as well.

>> Coronavirus tests: How can you get an at-home COVID-19 test?

President Joe Biden announced in mid-December that 500 million free rapid tests will be available to be sent to American homes starting in January, however the website to order those test kits had not launched Tuesday.

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