Fast at-home Covid-19 check kits are handed out to individuals at Chelsea Group Connections in Chelsea, Massachusetts, on December 17, 2021.
Joseph Prezioso | AFP | Getty Photos
Amazon has restricted gross sales of its at-home Covid-19 check kits amid a surge in demand tied to fears across the fast-spreading omicron variant.
Coronavirus circumstances are on the rise as soon as once more within the U.S. because the extremely contagious omicron variant spreads and is now thought of the dominant Covid pressure within the nation, representing 73% of sequenced circumstances. The surge has led to a flurry of demand for exams forward of the vacations, as many Individuals put together to journey and collect with their households.
There have been widespread experiences of lengthy traces at Covid testing websites, whereas some pharmacies’ cabinets of at-home Covid exams have turn out to be naked. In response to the surge, Walgreens and CVS Well being mentioned Tuesday they have been limiting what number of at-home Covid exams clients should buy each in-store and on-line.
An Amazon spokesperson instructed CNBC that the corporate is experiencing stock shortages on some Covid exams as a result of elevated demand. The corporate is working to safe further Covid check stock from its promoting companions, the spokesperson mentioned.
Amazon has restricted the variety of purchases of its personal at-home PCR check package to 10 items per shopper.
In the meantime, exams out there from different distributors on its market have been additionally capped. The highest-selling at-home Covid check, made by California-based iHealth Labs, was restricted to 5 exams per individual.
It’s as much as third-party sellers and distributors to set their very own buy limits, the Amazon spokesperson mentioned. The spokesperson didn’t reply to questions asking when it started experiencing check shortages.
The scarcity of exams comes as President Joe Biden mentioned Tuesday the federal government will buy 500 million at-home exams that Individuals can order on-line free of charge. Supply of the exams will start subsequent month.
WATCH: Biden administration to distribute 500 million free at-home Covid exams
