Demand for COVID-19 testing on the rise

Columbus institutions seeing drop in supply

As Ohio reported 9,019 new COVID-19 cases Friday and with case counts increasing in Franklin County, institutions and clinics across Columbus are seeing a strong demand for COVID-19 testing.

“The demand for testing is exceptionally high, and each testing location has its own inventory controls and protocols for the public to access tests,” said the Ohio Department of Health website. “When you find a testing location, it’s important to call in advance to ensure tests are available and to determine how to access tests.”

Exceptional demand has depleted the supply of test kits at the Columbus Metropolitan Library.

All 23 branches have been offering take-home testing kits since spring, according to spokesman Ben Zenitsky. But demand has skyrocketed in recent weeks, he said, and the library is temporarily out of kits.

Officials expect a new supply from the Ohio Department of Health shortly.

“In early summer, we were giving away between 100 and 200 kits a week,” Zenitsky said. “But last week alone we gave out more than 4,300. We’re asking our customers to please be patient.”

Zenitsky said to call the library at 614645-2275 to check on testing availability. The rapid-response tests must be administered at home, not at the library, he said.

There are still some kits out there, however.

Mack Owens, a patient technician at

The Little Clinic inside the Kroger on Morse Road, said he has seen an increase in COVID-19 tests in the past month, but could not give an exact number. The Columbus location still offers rapid and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, where results take at least 24 hours, he said.

Primaryone Health also has kits available at two Columbus locations — 2300 W. Broad St. and 3433 Agler Rd., Suite 2800. The healthcare provider offers testing Monday and Wednesday at both loca

tions and also Tuesday at the Agler location, said CEO Charleta Tavares.

Nurses administer the PCR tests, but Primaryone plans to have rapid testing soon.

“We had been down to maybe five or 10 a week, and in the last two weeks, we had 133 people that have requested tests,” Tavares said. “We expect that it will continue to increase, particularly as the mayor’s new mask mandate for indoor settings takes place.”

In addition to the testing locations, Primaryone has mobile health centers where people can take a test or get a shot of the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

The next events will take place Saturday from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at the center’s location at 1905 Parsons Ave. and on Thursday from 12-3 p.m. at the Academy For Urban Scholars High School at 1808 E. Broad St.

Tavares also believes the center is seeing a demand is due to the testing requirements some employers are implementing.

“We’ve seen a steady increase over the last few weeks,” she said. mwalker@dispatch.com @micah_walker701 kgordon@dispatch.com @kgdispatch

AP/LEE JIN-MAN An employee holds antibody test cartridges of the ichroma COVID-19 Ab testing kit used in diagnosing the coronavirus on a production line of the Boditech Med Inc. in Chuncheon, South Korea.