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Why can’t I buy this test right now?
Weeks into state and national lockdowns and emergency declarations, the U.S. cannot test everyone who is sick because of a shortage of both tests and personal protective equipment for health care workers. In Oregon, both the OHA and primary care physicians restrict testing to those 65 and older with chronic medical conditions and compromised immune systems.
Parker from ToxTests said that because of the global demand for serological tests, as shipments arrive from China, they are sold before they even land in the U.S.
“A supplier I work with all the time just jacked up the price to $1000 for a box of 25 kits,” he said. “With another, the cost doubled in 48 hours. Nobody will reveal how many [kits] they have on hand. Things are coming in waves. There’s long wait times. I have to tell [my clients] that the kits may not arrive for four to six weeks.”
Further, because of the nationwide test shortage, the kits are currently only available for professional use: at hospitals, clinics and doctor’s offices. Google is now blocking any online sales for at-home test kits that might come on the market, Parker said.