Bay Area Residents Rush to Find COVID-19 Tests as Many Sites Close for New Year's Day

It’s a caller twelvemonth but 1 happening hasn’t changed and that’s the request for COVID-19 testing.

Take-home kits are inactive hard to find astatine section pharmacies and astir authorities and region investigating facilities were closed Saturday due to the fact that of the holiday.

Still determination were immoderate fortunate fewer radical successful the East Bay who managed to find an unfastened investigating tract – but it didn’t travel inexpensive for those without insurance.

Don Fischer told NBC Bay Area Saturday that helium scoured the net Saturday greeting to find an unfastened investigating tract successful Oakland.

“I thought good successful the involvement of caution. It would marque sense. A headache could beryllium symptomatic,” helium said.

Fischer wasn’t alone. There was the enactment of radical extracurricular an urgent attraction session successful Oakland, who promised results wrong minutes.

“We conscionable got backmost from New York 2 days agone and we’ve been quarantining ourselves and looking to get tested arsenic soon arsenic possible,” said Oakland nonmigratory Michael Schmaltz.

Amara Gebreyesus besides went to the Oakland investigating site, arsenic helium told NBC Bay Area’s Melissa Colorado Saturday that helium is expected to question to his location state of Ethiopia connected Monday to sojourn household whom helium hasn’t seen successful 6 years.

All that’s lasting betwixt Geybreysus and his formation – a antagonistic COVID trial result. The problem? Geybreysus said helium doesn’t person insurance.

“This is the lone spot open. We went to respective spot to find it. We went to Highland Hospital. Today is the holiday. Its closed,” helium said.

Colorado connected Saturday looked up respective Bay Area counties to spot if determination were immoderate unfastened COVID-19 investigating sites connected this holiday.

For example, Alameda County’s website to find escaped assemblage investigating sites – and nether New Year’s Day – nothing. Over successful Contra Costa County – the wellness services website says each region and authorities investigating sites were closed Saturday.

“Tomorrow, I don’t cognize wherever we’re going to get it,” Gebreyesus said.

Rapid take-home tests kits are conscionable arsenic hard to find. A CVS determination successful Oakland was retired of them. A motion connected the doorway of a Walgreens determination successful San Leandro said the pharmacy was closed.

As for Fischer, helium said his 2022 is starting disconnected connected a affirmative enactment for him.

“I conscionable learned that my accelerated trial is negative, which is large news,” helium said.