Appointments for COVID-19 tests are unavailable at several free sites in the Twin Cities amid growing concern over the omicron surge of the pandemic.

Vault Health is experiencing unprecedented demand at its free state testing sites at the same time workers' coronavirus infections are hurting its capacity to collect and process tests. Spokeswoman Kate Brickman said people with at-home tests can help by using them first, ahead of the expiration date, rather than saving them and coming to test sites.

"Just as people are physically hoarding tests as demand for testing soars, people are also now hoarding test appointments," Brickman said.

Demand comes amid a stunning increase in coronavirus activity in Minnesota, which reported a record 19.1% positivity rate of diagnostic testing in the seven-day period ending Jan. 3. The state on Tuesday also reported 29,487 coronavirus infections and 28 COVID-19 deaths detected over the weekend.

Minnesota's seven-day infection rate is 46th lowest compared with other states, but mostly because of the rapid spread of the omicron variant elsewhere, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Minnesota's infection rate is higher now than it was last fall when it had the nation's worst rate.

Omicron infections in other states and countries have produced lower rates of severe COVID-19 than earlier strains of the coronavirus, and Minnesota health officials hope that pattern will continue.

Source consulted www.startribune.com