Missouri’s at-home COVID-19 testing program ends March 31, citing decrease in demand
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services' at-home COVID-19 PCR test kit program is ending March 31 due to the low demand and increased availability and accessibility of testing resources.
The department says that after a sharp increase in testing demand during the omicron surge in December and January, Missouri has seen a dramatic decline over the past several weeks.
Missouri residents who have not yet received the state's free at-home PCR tests can still order one through March 31 by using the online ordering system. The department says kits are typically delivered and received in the mail in two days.
Residents have six months to use the testing kit before it expires. A result is received within 72 hours of mailing the test back to the laboratory in a free FedEx shipping envelope provided in the kit.
Those who currently have the kit are encouraged to use it now, or before the six-month expiration mark.
Flow's Pharmacy on Broadway has been stocked with COVID-19 at-home tests for months.
Owner Anthony Desha said during the omicron surge the pharmacy was selling around 100 at-home tests a week. Now, two years into the pandemic, he said people are almost never coming in to pick up a test.
Desha said he thinks the decrease in demand is due to the availability of free tests from the state and government and the decrease in cases in the community. Desha said Flow's will continue to have at-home tests in stock, but the supply is minimal.
While COVID-19 cases are decreasing throughout the state and the demand for testing is low, cases have increased by 8% worldwide. Health experts say there is a risk for new future variants of COVID-19 and the BA.2 sub-variant of omicron is showing some concern.
Experts say BA.2 is spreading fast and might be able to cause more severe illness than omicron.
According to the Columbia/Boone County Health Department, on Wednesday, there were 32 COVID-19 patients in local hospitals. Of those, two patients were in the ICU and none on a ventilator.
Check back and watch ABC 17 News at 5 and 6 for more on this developing story.
