Walgreens, CVS Limit COVID-19 Tests In Ohio As Demand Explodes

OHIO — Amid Ohio's record-breaking COVID-19 surge, Walgreens and CVS are limiting the number of COVID-19 tests customers can purchase at one time.

Walgreens issued their limits first, allowing customers to purchase four take-home tests at a time. The policy applies online and in stores. The chain is hoping the purchase limit will improve inventory, and said it will continue to work with supplier partners to meet customer demands.

CVS then announced its own limitations on at-home tests, allowing customers to purchase five at a time. According to CNN, Amazon (10 per customer) and Walmart (eight per online customer) also issued their own COVID-19 test kit limits for customers this week.

On Tuesday, the Ohio Department of Health confirmed 12,500 new cases of COVID-19 among Ohioans and nearly 600 hospitalizations. Eighty-one COVID-19-positive Ohioans were admitted to intensive care units in that same 24 hour period.

Northern Ohio hospitals have issued repeated pleas for residents to get vaccinated, to wear masks in public and to avoid large crowds. They've also urged patients to stop seeking COVID-19 tests in overcrowded emergency rooms.

The Ohio National Guard opened a free COVID-19 testing site in Cleveland on Tuesday but were quickly overwhelmed by demand. The site began turning cars away after only two hours on Tuesday. The site is now only open to patients who previously registered for a test, News 5 reported.

Retail Tests

"With heightened demand for COVID vaccines, testing and other services, in addition to the busy holiday season, our pharmacy and store team members are working incredibly hard every day. We ask that our customers please show patience and understanding as together, we continue to navigate the evolving pandemic environment," said John Standley, Walgreens president.

Walgreens said its pharmacy team members have administered nearly 55 million COVID-19 vaccines and more than 22 million COVID-19 tests across the United States. COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters are available in Walgreens stores across the country, and the company operates more than 7,200 COVID-19 testing locations.

Walgreens anticipate 24- to 48-hour turnaround time for COVID-19 PCR test results. Rapid point-of-care tests are also available and results will continue to be available in less than 24 hours, according to the company.