My daughter had to wait in line seven hours for a drive-through covid test

what a fucking hypocrite Abbott is

He mentioned this during his speech. I’m sure they will be mailed out by then end of the week or next week.

Those interested in receiving a free home test will need to order one.

https://news.yahoo.com/biden-administration-buying-500-million-201745550.html


*Italic emphasis is mine.

Many communities all over the country had several drive-up test points and test kit distribution locations. If drivers had to idle for hours, as in the OP, that would have consumed a lot of gasoline and it it would have produced a lot of noxious emissions.

I expect they will show up some time in April.

I live in NYC and they told my co-worker he dad to pay. They said "we're a private company and we charge if you have no insurance."

I know someone who scheduled a test at CVS and the the only slots they could find were a week out. I was surprised to hear that, because for some reason I thought it would be a lot easier to get those. I wonder how much of a difference there is now compared to a couple months ago before this new variant.

Oh, can't find those home tests any longer either.

that doesn't take insurance.

.

Two of my kids just got them and there was no requirement to provide medical information.

There is a brief Zoom call they have to attend after the results are processed.

.

because it was requirement to board the cruise ships in November & September.
I made an appointment on-line, wait was minimum, and no out of pocket because I have Medicare plus insurance.

I used to see a bunch of those rapid home tests before omicron, but those are totally sold out everywhere.

I’m so sorry, my gosh 7 hours is unbelievable for 30 tests.

and many of them don't qualify for international travel.

I regularly get tested at the pharmacy. As long as there's no line, it's 15 minutes max. The line is mostly people waiting for prescriptions It takes 30-60 iminutes to get a half-dozen prescriptions picked up.

So it's likely the wait wasn't for COVID tests.

(30/day sounds about right - but it's 30 COVID tests AND 100+ prescriptions. In my experience it is the prescriptions, not the tests, that cause the delay.)

Hubby waited several hours and came home. He found a private place for $90. He had to pay.

one is for regular prescription drop/pickup and the other is for COVID testing. The testing lane is always empty - no lines or waiting here. (I'm on the RI/MA border.) In fact, they're going back to undesignated lanes b/c it hasn't been necessary.

UPDATE:
I just checked the CVS website for availability in my area.

Availability is wide open - I could get an appointment if I wanted one any time today, tomorrow, or thru the week. Literally, I could leave my house, get a test, and be back home in 20 mins. Guess it all depends on just where one is located. No problems here (RI/MA).

They're still doing drive up - no advance appointment necessary.

Or at least it was last week when we were desperately searching for one for my daughter to see if she could avoid cancelling her infusion appointment.

We were all talking about the lack of testing back when tfg was president.

This should have been top of the list with the new administration.

Hopefully we get them sometime the week of the 20’s. I’m so thankful he mentioned he’s doing this during his speech last week. Gonna save time and lives.

But good to know.

been made to carry that burden.

Because so many are out with Covid. Meanwhile, the local hospital is a hot mess, with patients stored in the hallways because there are no beds for them. And antivaxxers doubling down. (Just a little over fifty percent of our state is vaxxed.) Posting memes proclaiming how smart they are. I have become an evil person. I am wishing for people to get Covid.

Usually travel by air or ship requires it.

Air travel to Europe.

I have another cruise coming up at end of this month, and I will need to secure an appointment for rapid antigen test. Hope there is no long wait.

I live in Boston and have been tested at one of MGH's testing centers twice, and both times it was very quick and efficient (that is all they do at this particular site).

People line up 6 feet apart wearing masks and the test itself (PCR) takes about two minutes or less. The first time it took a day and a half to get my results and the last time (about a month ago) I had my results that evening for a 3pm appointment.

Did your daughter say why she thought it was taking so long?

Earliest appointment was for next Sunday, and then it would take several days to get the results back.
Talk about worthless.
She had tested negative with a home test kit, and wanted confirmation for her job.
So, she'll stay home tomorrow, and retest, and then retest again Tuesday morning.
If all 3 are negative, she'll go back to work.
I'm retired, so no need for me to use up one of our hard-to-get home test kits.
I'll just stay home.
We are fully vaxxed, and boosted.

My last time getting tested was just a couple of weeks ago. I had about 15 cars in front of me and waited about 45 minutes. I'm not sure how you could wait seven hours for twice as many cars.

We bought at home kits prior to a family Christmas gathering. Afterwards, no kits in sight.

From what I'm hearing from people trying to get them. 2 week waits on scheduled tests in dr offices as well apparently. A shortage on test kits/equipment and staff is being given as the reasons.

Getting tested was a breeze. I used CVS's drive-thru at least three times and they never charged me or my insurance.

Now, finding a test is impossible. I thought the openings would return after the New Year but it doesn't seem like it.

beyond impossible wait times.

In New Hampshire, we got free testing kits sent to the home in November. Four kits with two tests per kit.

but it just amazes me how disparate this testing experience is. Yes, I see the TV accounts of people and cars lined up for hours at various locations, but here in my area of RI/MA, we just pull up to our local CVS drive-thru window and get an immediate test...no appointment, no line, no waiting. The CVS I use has two outside drive-ups - one for regular prescription pickup/drop and another for COVID testing. The testing lane is always empty!

I sometimes wonder if this isn't a "herd mentality" that hasn't been anticipated. People see lines on TV broadcasts and figure "Whoa - I better get mine now" and rush out to join the fray. Perhaps there are smaller venues at which to receive the test that are being overlooked in the frenzy. How many CVSs were passed by on their way to the stadium testing?

No other times were available and it's a PCR test, not rapid.
CVS has no times available.

Availability is wide open - I could get an appointment if I wanted one any time today, tomorrow, or thru the week. Literally, I could leave my house, get a test, and be back home in 20 mins. Guess it all depends on just where one is located. No problems here (RI/MA).

They're still doing drive up - no advance appointment necessary.

I live in Essex County NJ - there is free walk in testing.
It's a saliva test.

One just walks in and takes a kit from one of the DOZENS of stations of several tests available.
After grabbing the test and instructions, you go back to your car, scan the instructions with your cell phone,
fill out the registration there and spit, spit, spit to fill up a tube and follow the instructions for releasing the reagent
to mix with your saliva. Take the sealed and disinfected tube (they give you an alcohol wipe with your kit) back to
the testing center and drop it off in a bin outside.

The two times I was tested, it took less than 24 hours to receive the results via email.

I've had some major disagreements with our County Executive, but at this point he deserves
accolades for the efficiency of the process. All the workers there were friendly and cheerful and patient.

My husband hasn't been feeling well, so I just returned from my third test.

On the other hand, my 81 year old sister is sick and I think a bit confused because she doesn't think she has Covid because "There are no white spots" in her throat. I admonished her to get tested immediately. She lives in NYC and is reluctant to go out in the weather and wait on line for hours to get tested. I told her that for sure that when they see a frail elderly woman with a walker that they would take her sooner - she doesn't think so. Are people that heartless?

building each day for the last two weeks. The interior pharmacy has been intermittently closed due to being short staffed due to Covid so everything had to go through the drive through.

Omicron is milder than previous variants. If no symptoms, why waste time getting tested?

airports so that may have had an effect as well.

I can get tested daily if I wanted but I do once a week because there's never a line. I just got tested now after the weekend, walked in, swiped and went upstairs to my office. I consider myself blessed and lucky.