Long lines for COVID test kits in NYC persist on Christmas Eve

A long line of people waiting for free COVID test kits in Brooklyn on Dec. 24, 2021. (credit: drbronnors/Twitter)

by: Yara Hamway via Storyful

Posted: Dec 25, 2021 / 12:12 PM EST

Updated: Dec 25, 2021 / 12:12 PM EST

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NEW YORK — Many New York City residents spent at least part of their Christmas Eve standing in long lines for free COVID-19 test kits, videos show.

The COVID-19 test kits were distributed by the city as demand continues to outpace supply amid a surge of new virus infections during the peak of the holiday season.

Video posted on Twitter by user @drbronnors shows crowds gathered outside a facility on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn.

Cases in New York have spiked to record highs in recent weeks, driven by the highly contagious omicron variant. A record 44,431 new COVID cases were reported in New York on Christmas Eve.