Long Islanders facing long lines looking for COVID-19 tests

Some people tell News 12 they were waiting for 90 minutes in the cold to get a test at the City MD on Hempstead Turnpike in Levittown.

News 12 Staff

Dec 20, 2021, 8:51 PM

Updated 991 days ago

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Long Islanders are facing long lines to get tested for COVID-19 amid a surge in cases.
Some people tell News 12 they were waiting for 90 minutes in the cold to get a test at the City MD on Hempstead Turnpike in Levittown.
Once patients get to the front door, they are given a number to come back in three to six hours so they can get tested.
At American Family Urgent Care in East Meadow, appointments are booked online at their three locations and two pop-ups that were added in Lake Ronkonkoma and Patchogue.
“Prior to this when patients were booked, they would be seen in 20 minutes,” says Dr. Daniel La. “Now we are seeing wait times of one to two hours.”
Residents say they need to get tested either because they are traveling or want to be with family for the holidays.
“I just want to take precautions and make sure everyone else is OK,” says Levittown resident Jen Steinberg.
Other say they are opting to buy at-home tests from local pharmacies, but those can often be hard to find or sold out.