Santa Maria COVID-19 test distributions run out of kits in 45 minutes
SANTA MARIA, Calif. -- The City of Santa Maria hosted two distribution locations Wednesday morning for free at-home COVID-19 test kits.
Supplies at both sites were all handed out within 45 minutes of opening, according to the city.
Update: Today we distributed all of our free #COVID19 rapid self-test kits at both locations within 45 minutes. Thank you to our community, City staff, and @SBCPublicHealth for a successful event. To find other locations, visit https://t.co/q3xrVpXx0G or call 2-1-1. #SantaMaria
— cityofsantamariaPIO (@City_SantaMaria) February 9, 2022
Dozens of people began lining up early this morning outside the Veterans Memorial Community Center for the free test kits, and staff from the City Recreation and Parks Department were on hand for the giveaway.
The other distribution location was at the Minami Community Center in Santa Maria.
More than 2,500 at-home COVID-19 test kits were distributed in total.
Santa Maria resident Cristina Barriga said "It's really hard to find the kits sometimes, you know when you get a cold or anything, you don't want to spread it onto your loved ones, and then you go to the pharmacy and they're all out."
Another resident, George Bell, said "It's going good, I'm glad the community is coming out for this, it was well advertised and we need this and I'm hoping everyone gets their test kits today."
The City of Santa Maria, along with other Central Coast cities, counties and school districts have been given an allotment of the free at-home COVID-19 testing kits as part of a massive nationwide effort to to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
