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

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.