Searchers for rapid COVID-19 antigen tests lined up en masse at the single distribution site in Ottawa early Tuesday morning, only to be told to return later when a supply of tests was ready to distribute.
The Ontario government’s first pop-up rapid test site in Ottawa at the Minto Recreation Center in Barrhaven listed its opening hours as of 7 a.m. Tuesday, but hundreds of residents lined up hours in advance, some at 4 a.m. , hoping to secure a kit.
“I thought I’d be late, actually, at four,” Belinda Batten, hopeful of the quick test, told Global News.
Batten said those in line were not told there would be delays in the distribution of the supply, and that staff would leave around 6 a.m. to move the line, saying that 7 a.m. was still opening time.
The staff later apologized to tell attendees that the shipment from Toronto had been delayed. Those in line were issued wristbands and told to return after 12 p.m., when the rapid test supply had arrived at the scene.
Some residents were verbally frustrated, but others were grateful to leave the cold with a guaranteed test kit reserved for them later in the day.
Read more:
Finding rapid COVID-19 tests across Canada, from relative ease to utter frustration
The Ontario Quick Test Pop-up Vacation Program has changed the distribution schedule start time from Tuesday to 12pm
The Cambrian Road site brochures are still listed to start at 7am for the rest of the week.
Ottawa health medical officer Dr. Vera Etches said last week that the province has identified 10 sites to deliver rapid tests in Ottawa, but the Minto complex in Barrhaven is the only site that is working so far. Additional sites are added to the pop-up vacation schedule on Fridays, depending on the province.
The Ontario government completely depleted its supply of rapid tests distributed through LCBO in the province last week, with sites in Ottawa running out of kits within minutes of receiving supplies.
Global News has reached out to the Ontario Ministry of Health to see if there will be additional supplies ready to distribute during the rest of the week.
With files from Luigi Della Penta of Global News.
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