SACO, Maine — Health officials urged Mainers to get tested for COVID when they feel sick or come into contact with someone infected with the virus. While "Swab and Send" sites continue to provide free testing options, at-home testing kits are becoming hard to come by.
“Whenever we get a chance to get them in stock, they’re gone within the next day or so," Chad Parsons, the pharmacist in charge at the Community Pharmacy of Saco, said.
Parsons added he doesn't have any idea when the next supply of tests will fill his shelves.
“I would think two years in we’d have a better shot at having a rapid test whenever we needed something," he said.
On Thursday, the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported the state's PCR testing volume is 745 tests per 100,000 residents. That mark is the 11th best in the country.
Gov. Janet Mills said Wednesday that about 40% of Maine schools are participating in pool testing.
Mills dismissed the idea of providing and delivering at-home tests to Mainers who request them via an online ordering platform. Some states around the country have implemented this process.
A spokesperson for the CDC said on Thursday the state is working with the Biden Administration to establish a constant supply for at-home testing kits.
Parsons and other health officials recommend checking at Walmart or other major retailers for at-home tests. Online ordering is also an option.
Despite the challenges, Parsons said it's necessary to get tested for COVID if you feel sick or believe you came into contact with someone who has contracted the virus.
“In today’s environment, anytime you come down with any of those symptoms we want to check to make sure we’re not spreading the virus more," he added.