(WXYZ) — With Christmas just three days away, many Americans are trying to celebrate the holidays safely—and that will mean not only getting vaccinated but also making sure they get tested for COVID before and after gatherings.
There’s been a shortage of at-home tests for a while now and now some drugstores are limiting how many you can buy.
Walgreens' limit is 4. CVS is capping at-home kits at 6. And at Walmart, the new limit is 8.
And it’s not just at-home tests in high demand. People are eager to get rapid testing too.
"This is the busiest time we've ever been," the owner of iPharmacy Rudy Najm said.
Earlier this week, the Biden administration said it will start sending out 500 million free at-home tests to people who want them, but that won’t be until January, and you’ll have to sign up to receive one.
Bin Wei, the lab director at World Wide Labz in Detroit says depending on which test you buy, different biological samples will be used.
"Some at-home test they are using nasal swab. Some of those test they are using oral fluid or saliva," Wei said.
Something to keep in mind: lab experts say at-home tests aren’t always the most reliable option, and instructions can vary depending on the one you buy. This means it’s on you, the consumer, to make sure you’re reading accurate results.
It is suggested to get a PCR test to verify any at-home results.
