Ontarians scramble to get rapid antigen tests in provincial holiday test blitz

Ontarians are scrambling to get access to rapid tests at pop-up locations across the province after the provincial government launched its holiday COVID-19 test blitz on Thursday.

Between December and mid-January, two million free tests will be given out at sites across Ontario. Pop-up testing sites will include malls, retail settings, markets, libraries and transit hubs.

Staff at a pop-up testing site at Yorkdale Mall in Toronto confirmed to CityNews they ran out of their supply of 1,000 rapid test kits around 11:45 a.m. on Thursday after opening their doors at 10 a.m.

The location was scheduled to stay open until 9 p.m. but closed its doors in the early afternoon with customers still coming around looking for kits. They said they plan to reopen again on Friday with another 1,000 kits.

The spot at Yorkdale Shopping Centre to pick up a free COVID rapid antigen test kit ran out of its daily supply of 1,000 in less than two hours. It’s scheduled to be open for 11 hours today, the first day of the giveaway. @CityNewsTO pic.twitter.com/u4gR0ktCx1

— Mark Douglas (@DouglasCityNews) December 16, 2021

“In the face of the rapidly-spreading Omicron variant, we recognize that there is significant demand for rapid tests and are pleased to see so many people embrace the opportunity to add an extra layer of protection in advance of the holidays,” said a spokesperson for the Ministry of Health.

“That said, Ontario has a limited supply of rapid tests and every single test the province has received is on its way out the door to thousands of workplaces, hospitals, home and community care settings, long-term care homes, schools and child care centres as well as pop-up sites across the province.”

Another site at Eglinton Station in Toronto also ran out of tests in the morning after seeing large lineups. People were already being turned away before 10:30 a.m.

On her way to work on Thursday morning, Jacqueline Vincent said she passed a swarm of people outside of the Richmond-Adelaide Centre site in downtown Toronto.

Vincent, who already got free rapid tests from her workplace, said it looked like there were several hundred people in line at the centre trying to secure some rapid tests.

A site at 10 Bay Street in downtown Toronto opened its doors at 8 a.m., but there were reports of a large group of people waiting in line for kits before then.

Nothing like waking up early for a Rapid Test scavenger hunt. This one in downtown #Toronto opened at 8 and the line was well-formed before that. #Omicron pic.twitter.com/d379Da6Q2a

— Amanda Ferguson (@ByAmandaFergie) December 16, 2021

Dan Jelly said he went to a pop-up site in Hamilton on Thursday morning to pick up some tests in time for the holidays. When he lined up with a few hundred others at a pop-up site outside Dundurn Castle, he was told they ran out in less than half an hour.

Most pop-up sites offered free take-home tests and some will actually provide testing on site. The Ford government planned on making tests available at more than 650 LCBO locations across the province.

Premier Doug Ford said on Wednesday he asked the federal government to provide more rapid antigen tests for Ontario.

Ontarians can visit Ontario.ca/holidaytesting to find testing sites in their area.

In a bid to contain the rapidly spreading Omicron COVID-19 variant, the Ford government also announced it is bringing capacity limits back to many large, indoor venues and rapidly accelerating the rollout of COVID-19 booster doses.

The province confirmed Wednesday that anyone 18 and older will be eligible for a booster as of Dec. 20 provided they are 84 days removed from their second dose.

As of Dec. 18, 50 per cent capacity limits will be implemented at sports and entertainment venues with an indoor capacity of 1,000 people or more.

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With files from CityNews’ Mark Douglas and The Canadian Press