SALISBURY, Md. - Test kits were gone in minutes today at Wicomico County public libraries. The Sarbanes Branch in downtown Salisbury gave out some last night and ran out shortly before 10:30 Thursday morning. At the Centre Branch inside the mall in Salisbury, 90 test kits were given out in 10 minutes. Centre Branch manager Stephanie Daisey says the last two times test kits have been available, crowds have gathered outside the library.
“Unfortunately today we weren't able to meet the demand of the line. Last time fortunately we were. It's a lot, it's a lot of people,” Daisey said.
Some people looking for tests came minutes too late. Lenny Randrup got her hands on the last one at the Sarbanes branch.
“A friend came by and said she heard that they were giving them away and that they were probably be going to be running out within the hour and I just took off from my office which got me here in 10 minutes and I just got the last one,” Randrup said.
Similar scenes unfolded in Pittsville, where a line of cars lined up outside just before noon. Erin Kessler says the demand could be high from the omicron variant and more people traveling.
“The demand is insane, I just got a notification from one of the websites that the antigen tests were back in, but they are incredibly hard to come by and incredibly pricey,” Kessler said.
The library says they don't get the test kits on a regular basis, just when the health department gets enough to give them, but they are hoping to have more in the coming days.
