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The shelves of local pharmacies were picked clean of COVID-19 take-home tests this week as the Virginia Department of Health reported the state had surpassed its daily record of new cases.
The state reported 12,112 new coronavirus cases Wednesday, shattering its highest daily case number since the pandemic began — topping the 9,914 new cases reported Jan. 17.
Gov. Ralph Northam called the surge a “reason for concern, but not a reason for panic,” in a statement Wednesday.
“Vaccinations are keeping people safe, even as the omicron variant spreads,” Northam said, noting vaccinated people who test positive for COVID-19 are likely to have minor symptoms.
Northam also urged Virginians to go to the hospital only “if you believe you really need to.”
The number of patients hospitalized with confirmed or test-pending cases of COVID-19 reached 2,014 on Wednesday — below the state’s highest average, which was close to 3,200 a day in early January, according to VDH data.
This most recent surge is due to a combination of events, including people spending more time inside during the cooler weather, holiday gatherings and the spread of the highly contagious omicron variant, according to healthcare providers.
Adding to the problem for Hampton Roads residents is the lack of available rapid, take-home tests, which can provide results in 10-15 minutes. They are becoming scarce due to supply chain issues, said VDH Chief Deputy Commissioner, Dr. Parham Jaberi.
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“We’re seeing this nationally,” Jaberi told The Virginian-Pilot. “We’re hearing a number of challenges with regards to the supply and logistics chain where our pharmacies are not getting the tests that they are selling over the counter.”
Laboratory testing also has been in high demand. Jaberi said the vaccination center at Military Circle mall in Norfolk went from testing about 150 people per week to roughly 400 this week. With the commonwealth’s rapid rise in cases, Jaberi said VDH is working to increase its “testing footprint.”
The Military Circle site only offers coronavirus testing on Mondays, but Jaberi said that could change given the rise in demand.
Jaberi, the acting director for the Norfolk Health Department, said he and health officials have had discussions about increasing their testing capabilities. But whether that takes the form of more frequent testing at Military Circle or adding additional sites requires coordination with other entities.
“In order to do those things, you got to talk to contractors, you got to have FEMA approval, CDC grants, you got to give them exactly how many locations, logistics ... and those take time,” Jaberi said. “So we’ve been working on those things behind the scenes over the holiday break, but it’s not something that can be turned overnight.”
Virginia’s record-breaking number of positive COVID cases does not reflect at-home rapid test results, Jaberi said. Health department officials encourage those who test positive that way to report results through the www.emed.com and the Navica App.
In Hampton Roads, the demand for tests has been evident at public and commercial distribution sites.
Last month, the state health department launched a pilot program to distribute the tests for free at public libraries. A handful in Hampton Roads — including Portsmouth, Hampton, Suffolk, Williamsburg and Poquoson — are participating. But all are out of tests, according to their websites and library staff.
Since the program started, the Poquoson Public Library received four shipments of test kits from the VDH and passed out all 360, according to library director Jessica Hartley. Library staff averaged between 8 and 12 tests per day in the two weeks after Thanksgiving.
In weeks preceding Thanksgiving and Christmas, the library saw demand for the tests spike. Last week, 72 tests were handed out in a three-hour period.
“We would have been able to distribute many, many more had we had the test kits available,” Hartley said.
A similar program in Washington, which distributes 8,000 free test kits a day through eight city libraries, has received high praise from residents for its simplicity and efficiency.
At Poquoson, Hartley anticipates staff will receive a new shipment of tests next week. Demand remains high. She said the library receives about 100 calls per day about test availability.
Some independent pharmacies across Hampton Roads have been inundated with similar calls.
The MacArthur Pharmacy in Norfolk sold 60 at-home tests Tuesday but “probably could have sold 100″ if they had the stock, co-owner Christopher Lawrence said. The pharmacy is anticipating another shipment of tests Thursday.
Lawrence estimates the store has received 50 calls a day about tests since Christmas.
“It blew up,” Lawrence said of the demand.
But other locally owned pharmacies said they’ve never had at-home tests.
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Chris Mercer, who owns Chesapeake’s Lawrence Pharmacy, has been checking in with his wholesalers every day about test kit availability without luck. A clerk at the Drug Center Pharmacy in Portsmouth told the same story.
Although polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, tests are still readily available at local hospitals and testing sites like Military Circle, Jaberi said the scarce supply of rapid-tests can be chalked up to high demand and logistics.
“We are working with partners, organizations, already providing them some of these over-the-counter tests,” Jaberi said. “And unfortunately, our supplies dwindle very quickly.”
Jaberi said he expects to see high demand for tests next week and made plans for his staff at the Norfolk Health Department to augment the number of personnel working at Military Circle on Jan. 3 — the next day the center is open for testing. Military Circle Mall will continue to offer free COVID-19 tests from 2 to 6 p.m. Mondays.
Lyndon German, frederick.german@virginiamedia.com
Ali Sullivan, 757-677-1974, ali.sullivan@virginiamedia.com