TAMPA, Fla. — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will soon require insurance companies to cover at-home COVID-19 tests.

The move comes as part of an overall strategy to make at-home tests more accessible, but pharmacies worry they won’t be able to meet the demand.

Kola Ishola is a pharmacist and co-owner of Kabs Pharmacy in Tampa.

He says they got a shipment of about 50 Covid-19 at-home tests back in the fall, and they were sold out in less than two weeks.

He hasn’t been able to get them back in stock since.

He says not a day goes by that customers aren’t looking to purchase them, especially now that omicron is rampant.

“How often? I would probably say about 20 times a day. That’s just walk-ins asking for it. Over the phone, probably times two that,” said Ishola.

He urges people not to panic-buy the tests and only get them if they are experiencing symptoms.

He says he hopes to get more in by next week.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health and Human Services policy will take effect on Saturday and will cover eight tests per month, per person.

Assuming the pharmacies can secure a supply, they will be offered over-the-counter with no prescription necessary.