SAUGUS, MASS. (WHDH) - Hourslong lines formed again Wednesday at COVID-19 testing sites in Massachusetts as residents scrambled to get tested amid a surge in new cases following the Christmas holiday.
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A drive-thru testing site in the parking lot at the Square One Mall in Saugus, which is open daily from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., was forced to close early after it quickly reached its capacity limit.
Video from the scene showed what looked like a never-ending line of cars snaked around the parking lot as people waited for their opportunity to get tested for the virus.
“I thought there would be a lot of people because of Christmas…But I didn’t think it would be this long,” one man in line said. Another woman added, “People are out not wearing masks and not social distancing, so it’s not surprising.”
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The continued race to get tested ahead of New Year’s celebrations comes as health officials report record-breaking daily case counts with the omicron variant spreading like wildfire.
Sites at Revere High School and in Boston’s Jackson Square were also packed with cars of people awaiting a test.
Earlier this week, a testing site in Marlboro had to start turning cars away at noon after getting swamped with people.
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There have been more than 1 million confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state since the start of the pandemic.
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