As Alabama officials removed many of the barriers to testing last week, a new one emerged: shortages of supplies needed to collect nasal and oral samples.

Don Williamson, executive director of the Alabama Hospital Association, has been in close contact with facilities across the state. He said some are now reporting shortages of supplies necessary for testing. Doctors and hospitals use special swabs and vials to collect material for testing in labs operated by the Alabama Department of Public Health or private companies.

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On Thursday, the department of Public Health began approving all requests for testing. By Friday, the number of cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, had jumped from zero to six. The number increased to 12 on Saturday.

“A couple of the hospitals said they had no collection kits,” he said. “Some are okay. Some have maybe 15 kits, or 25 kits. I would suspect this will become a bigger problem as testing ramps up.”

The equipment in short supply isn’t particularly specialized, Williamson said. But it is specific. Providers must use synthetic swabs, not cotton, and special vials.

“There’s been a run on everything,” Williamson said.

The problem could get worse if people flood the hospitals seeking tests.

“Collection kits seem to be a growing problem,” Williamson said.

Swabs aren’t the only problem. To prevent the spread of disease, hospital staff must wear protective equipment including masks and face shields while collecting samples. Not all hospitals have enough protective equipment, Williamson said.

That’s one of the reasons state health authorities advise people to seek testing only if they have the symptoms of the illness. Fever is the main one, followed by a dry cough, fatigue and chest tightness.

“People without symptoms should not ask for tests,” said Dr. Scott Harris, state health officer for Alabama. “If you are not sick, you will test negative.”

As private companies jump into coronavirus testing, supplies could increase. Assurance Scientific Labs is conducting tests at two locations in Vestavia Hills and Bessemer. Company officials said they had the capacity to run 10,000 tests. Quest Scientific and LabCorp also perform testing but still rely on clinics and hospitals to collect samples.

Williamson said some hospitals might purchase additional supplies from one of those private companies.

“Some hospitals have contracts with private companies and we may see more of that in the future,” Williamson said.