The U.S. is again grappling with a shortfall of testing that has hobbled the nation since the pandemic’s early weeks, and now threatens to further undermine containment efforts at a crucial moment.
In new hot spots like Arizona, Texas and Florida, where COVID-19 is rapidly spreading, lines for testing extend outside of urgent care offices and other sites. Two high school football stadiums in Houston regularly hit capacity by mid-morning and have to turn people away.
The country’s largest labs are forecasting a surge in demand that could lead to longer waits for test results, and have warned that limited amounts of critical testing supplies could become a constraint. Though capacity has expanded, widespread testing remains elusive, in part due to persistent supply shortages.