Mad or nah? Coronavirus Pandemic N.I.C.E. Stories

‘Mad or nah?’: Philly residents react to the scarcity of rapid at-home COVID tests

P.O.C., a partner in WHYY’s News and Information Community Exchange, hit the streets of Philadelphia to see how residents are faring amid the COVID testing crisis.

Tamara Russell

January 12, 2022

A sign was posted at the front of this CVS pharmacy. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

If you’re pounding the pavement and scouring store shelves for a rapid at-home COVID test, you’re not alone in your search. And if you can’t find any, you’re joined by countless others in disappointment.

In Philadelphia and across the country, rapid at-home tests are hard to come by. And if you want to visit your local testing site, be prepared for miles-long lines.

Amid a surge in omicron cases, Americans are expressing frustration with the lack of preparation for mass testing. President Biden in December promised 500 million rapid at-home tests, but it’s unclear how soon people will have access to them.

P.O.C., a partner in WHYY’s News and Information Community Exchange, hit the streets of Philadelphia to see how residents are faring amid the COVID testing crisis.

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Part of the series

Mad or nah?

‘Mad or Nah?’ is an original woman-on-the-street interview series from Revive Radio that asks Philadelphians about issues impacting their everyday life.

View the series