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Walgreens limiting purchase of at-home COVID-19 tests amid surge in demand, spread of omicron

Keith Srakocic/AP

FILE - This June 21, 2013 file photo shows the script "Walgreens" over windows at the store in Wexford, Pa. The Federal Trade Commission wants more information about Walgreensí $9.41-billion plan to buy rival drugstore chain Rite Aid, a sign that regulators may be worried about the dealís impact on competition. Walgreens said Friday, Dec. 11, 2015 that it fielded a request for additional information beyond what the companies have already been required to provide under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976. Walgreens said it expected the request. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

By: Alex Hider

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Walgreens has announced that it will limit the sale of at-home COVID-19 tests due to supply issues as the omicron variant spreads rapidly across the U.S.

In a statement tweeted Tuesday morning, Walgreen's said it would limit customers to purchasing four at-home COVID-19 tests at a time as demand for testing supplies skyrockets.

"...we continue work diligently with our supplier partners to best meet customers' demands," the pharmacy chain said in a statement.

The limits apply to purchase made in-person and online.

Case rates have exploded across the country in recent days as omicron has become the dominant strain of the virus. On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that omicron represented about three-fourths of new cases, compared to just 3% a week ago.

On Monday, the CDC says the U.S. recorded 289,000 cases — the second-highest daily caseload since the start of the pandemic.

The spread of omicron comes as millions of Americans are expected to travel ahead of the Christmas holiday.

On Tuesday, the Biden Administration took steps to increase the production of COVID-19 tests and said it had purchased 500 million at-home tests that will be mailed free of charge to any American who wants one. However, those tests will not be available until January.