Long lines at free at-home rapid test kit giveaway in the Fraser Valley

Hundreds of people from the flood-ravaged communities of Abbotsford, Chilliwack and Hope lined up Sunday morning to get a box of 25 rapid antigen COVID-19 tests that they can use at home over the holidays.

The test kit boxes were being given away to residents of the eastern Fraser Valley by a non-profit organization, in a partnership with the local health authority.

“We are focused on high-transmission zones and areas where there are lower vaccinated rates," said Upkar Singh Tatlay, of the Engaged Communities Society, who gave a brief demonstration on how the at-home tests work before giving them to residents who showed ID.

"You can tell by the community that’s here today, it’s really important.”

The kits being handed out were given to B.C. by the federal government. The province has said it’s too time-consuming to break down the kits of 25 tests into smaller packages for a broader free giveaway, like the ones happening in other provinces.

“I do not understand what the government is saving these for,” said Elaine Foxgord, who lined up for her box of 25 tests so she could feel better about visiting family in Victoria this week.

“How could there possibly be a more crucial time than right now, with the Omicron variant going around - which is hugely transmissible - and people getting together for Christmas? It just doesn’t make sense to me,” she said.

John Denault, who came for a box of tests for himself, his wife and two young children, agreed.

“It would be awesome if the government did more to make this available,” he said. “We want to do our due diligence and make sure everyone is safe and everyone is having a Merry Christmas, and not getting COVID.”

Martin Wolf wonders why the test kits aren’t being made available at health units. He’s grateful he qualified for the free box.

“We want to be able to test ourselves if we’re worried about coming into contact with people who might have the virus,” he said.

Joanne Hamm wanted rapid tests in case she or her loved ones come down with the sniffles this holiday season.

“It’s way more convenient to test from our own home first before we go stand in the lines for the other testing," she said.

She also wonders why the test kits that the province has aren’t all being handed out now.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says the province is working on ways to make the rapid tests it does have more easily accessible, and will have more information on Tuesday.