KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services issued a temporary pause on at-home testing kit orders Wednesday following a sharp increase in demand for COVID-19 testing in the state.
The pause will only last until Thursday, and DHSS said that the one-day pause is to allow them to "improve the ordering system and allow our contractor to continue shipping kits in a timely manner."
The department will only make a limited supply of these kits available each day through January due to the spike in demand, according to their website.
"If the ordering site says the limit has been reached, please check back again the following day for availability," a DHSS press release said. "This change is needed to ensure all orders received are processed in an expedient manner."
DHSS also asked that Missourians requesting these kits should only do so for immediate testing needs. The department said that at-home testing kits should not be stockpiled.
"If the COVID-19 positivity rate in Missouri increases significantly, the state may work with the vendor to increase the daily ordering allotment," the release said. "With the high case rates and limited testing supplies available nationwide, now is the time to utilize these tests especially for those who have symptoms consistent with COVID-19 or have had exposure to a COVID-19 positive case."
