Coronavirus Watch: 'Unprecedented demand' leads to home test rationing

Heavy demand for COVID-19 home test kits, including sellouts at some stores, has led major pharmacy chains to ration individual purchases.

Customers are limited to four over-the-counter antigen tests at Walgreens pharmacies, while CVS is restricting buyers to six kits.

"As the nation experiences a surge in COVID-19 cases coinciding with the holidays, we are seeing unprecedented demand for related testing and vaccine services and products," Walgreens said in a statement posted on its website Tuesday.

On Tuesday, President Joe Biden announced the purchase of 500 million at-home rapid COVID-19 tests, which are expected to be available in January.

It's Wednesday, and this is Coronavirus Watch from the USA TODAY Network. Here's more news to know:

• The United States is once again reporting more than 1 million cases per week, Johns Hopkins University data shows. The country hadn't been above that mark in three months, while the delta variant was ravaging some states.
• California will require health care workers to receive a COVID-19 booster shot, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Tuesday.
• The NHL and its players association said Wednesday that they were pulling out of the Beijing Olympics.
• In Israel, an advisory panel recommended that the country begin administering additional booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines to protect against the quickly spreading omicron variant.
• South Africa's noticeable drop in new COVID-19 cases in recent days may signal that the country's dramatic omicron-driven surge has passed its peak, medical experts say.

Today's numbers: The U.S. has recorded more than 51.2 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 810,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Global totals: More than 276.4 million cases and 5.3 million deaths. More than 204.5 million Americans – 61.6% –  are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC.

Tracking the pandemic: See the numbers in your area here. See where cases are rising here. See vaccination rates here. And here, compare vaccinations rates worldwide and see which countries are using which vaccines.

– Ryan Miller, USA TODAY Breaking News Reporter, @RyanW_Miller