SAN ANTONIO – The shortage of rapid test kits continues into 2022, and it’s unclear when any of the 500,000 test kits promised by President Joe Biden will make it to San Antonio.
The post-holiday demand has lead to long lines and longer wait times across Bexar County.
On the city’s East Side, lines at Nomi Health’s COVID-19 testing site stretched down Rigsby Avenue on Monday.
“Last week, I think it was Thursday, we (waited) here almost four hours,” said Cherise Campbell, who tested positive for the virus around Christmas.
“I try to keep my boys safe, and so far, we’ve all been good. But I keep trying to make sure that we’re still in the clear. Now, I’m here for the last (test), hopefully,” Campbell said.
Just north of Fort Sam Houston, another traffic buildup as people line up in their cars to get tested at a drive-thru site at 1712 Austin Highway near Eisenhauer Road.
Those in the Stone Oak area experienced similar wait times to get tested at Livingston Med Lab’s testing site located at 18322 Sonterra Place.
Not far from there on a Loop 1604 frontage road was another line of cars with people in them eager to make it Alzafar Shriner’s parking lot to determine if they’re sick or not.
However, there was a different story on the city’s West Side across the street from Our Lady of the Lake University.
“(There was) one person in front of me so, maybe a minute (wait), said Dustin Dorbritz, who drove by other COVID-19 testing locations, but the lines there were too long. “I wasn’t feeling well, so I wanted to make sure before I got back to work and around other people, (that I was negative). I want to be responsible about it.”
Short wait times were also reported at Edgewood Square Shopping Center located at 1157 South General McMullen Drive, where at some points there were less than 15 people in line.
Although neither West Side locations offer drive-thru service, Dorbritz said it was worth standing in line for the test.
You can find a COVID testing site by clicking here.
