The Show on KJZZ

Listen live weekdays at 9 a.m.

City of Tempe, Valley libraries seeing demand for at-home COVID test kits

By Rocio Hernandez
Published: Tuesday, December 21, 2021 - 2:19pm
Updated: Wednesday, December 22, 2021 - 8:30am

COVID-19 test card
KJZZ
The Abbot BinaxNOW antigen self test for COVID-19.

The city of Tempe ran out of the free at-home COVID-19 test kits hours after it started distributing, and the tests are also temporarily out of stock at other distributors across the Valley. 

The city is receiving up to 1,500 BinaxNOW COVID tests a week through its partnership with the Maricopa County Department of Health. This means the city will have more tests to hand out early next week. 

The tests are available during business hours at the following locations: 

Mesa and Maricopa County libraries that are handing out the tests are also seeing high demand that Maricopa County library spokesperson Samantha Mears attributes to the upcoming holiday.

As of Tuesday afternoon, tests are unavailable at all Mesa libraries. Community members are advised to check the Mesa Public Library's website for details on when the tests are back in stock or call ahead. Tests are distributed from 10 a.m. to noon. 

Some tests were still available at seven out of 18 county library locations as of 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Those branches include:

The county library system expects deliveries of more kits to begin Wednesday, Dec. 22. Customers can call 602-652-3000 to check availability before they come in.  

Coronavirus Science Health + Medicine