SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) — In response to the increasing spread of the omicron variant, Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian is urging County staff to take immediate steps to significantly scale up the distribution of at-home COVID-19 tests.

Simitian is asking the County to return later this month with a formal plan for “comprehensive and robust test distribution.”

According to the County’s COVID-19 dashboards, up to 25,000 people in Santa Clara County are being tested for the coronavirus daily.

Those numbers represent a significant increase since July, with the seven-day average positivity rate increasing to 12.2%, the highest it has been since January 2021.

“People can’t take the appropriate precautions to prevent the spread of the virus if they don’t know they are infected to begin with,” said Simitian.

“Simply put, we can’t fight the virus if we can’t see it. And we can’t see it if we don’t test.”

COVID-19 at-home rapid testing is one of the few tools available to slow the spread of the virus, allowing people to test themselves as soon as they learn they may have come into contact with the virus.

Many of the rapid antigen tests are available without prescription and return results within 20 minutes.

The kits, which are sold online as well as at pharmacies such as Walgreens, CVS and Walmart, are expensive and have become increasingly difficult to find.

“Luckily, the County is well-positioned to address this issue, and it should do so without delay,” said Simitian.

According to Simitian’s Office, efforts are currently underway to expand at-home testing throughout the County in coordination with the federal and state governments.

The County Public Health Department has partnered with community-based organizations to distribute more than 90,000 test kits received from the State, but Simitian notes in his memo to the Board of Supervisors ,“this is only a small first step” in a county with nearly two million residents, particularly given that the need for testing will be ongoing while the tests are only a one-and-done point-in-time indicator.”

Simitian said in a press release, that almost two years into the pandemic, officials at every level of government haven’t conquered the challenge of wide-scale and continued testing.

In addition, Simitian is asking the County to explore building on existing partnerships to distribute more at-home tests through clinics, hospitals, and community-based organizations throughout the County.

“This is hardly a new issue,” he said. “I remember raising this issue at our Board meeting in March 2020—almost two years ago—and we were assured that the federal government and the private market were expected to fill the need. But here we are again.”

Simitian is asking County staff to present a plan at the January 11 Board of Supervisors meeting.