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I dont understand. COVID tests are completely free, subsidized by the government. You can get COVID tests at very high prices on the "black market". If you don

I dont understand. COVID tests are completely free, subsidized by the government. You can get COVID tests at very high prices on the "black market". If you don't want to pay those prices, you stand on line at the free testing areas. Why do you think capitalism is broken here when its working just fine. The supply of testing is too low since its free to take them officially and there is massive demand

skohan 5y ago
Are you talking about PCR tests, or antigen tests? All I can tell you is that this week, my Aunt and I were both flying out of EWR. She needed a PCR test for the flight which was supposed to be Tuesday, and she started looking on Friday, but it was almost impossible to find anywhere with an appointment available before Thursday. And even those gave a very fuzzy 1-3 day estimate for results, which is quite unhelpful when you have to take the test within 72 hours of departure. She spent an entire day trying to find somewhere which would take walk-ins, and eventually found a place through a fiend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend who could get her in, although she did have to push the flight back by a day. From my perspective, this just seemed totally broken. I don't understand how there could not be a vendor, easily discoverable through Google which could deliver same-day or next-day results at whatever price the market would bear, even if it was $300 or $500 or whatever. It felt like being in a developing country where things just can't be depended on to work properly.
- smabie 5y ago
  You can order at-home rapid antigen supervised (over webcam) tests to your home that are accepted for flights. Not sure it would come over night though. But you're right it is totally broken: they should be auctioning these PCR testing slots to the highest bidder. But of course then there would uproar about "price gouging." Somewhat similar to how everyone is complaining they can't find PS5s and yet Sony is unwilling to raise topics because the optics would be bad.
  - skohan 5y ago
    Are you sure there are at-home antigen tests which are universally accepted for international travel? I have been on a number of international flights during this period, and having read the entry requirements for a few different countries, this would be the first I have heard of this.
    - smabie 5y ago
      Yes, however I just checked and they seem unavailable at the moment.
TheDudeMan 5y ago
> the government Which of the many governments in the world are you talking about?
- NikolaeVarius 5y ago
  So the post is talking about NYC, which exists in the USA, so I presume its fairly obvious what Government
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
sovnade 5y ago
If you haven't been for a covid test lately, especially in a populated area, things have changed significantly. Lines are 4-12 hours long and often run out of tests before they can get to everyone. There are no appointments available. Urgent Care centers are overrun and can't handle nearly as many tests as people are requesting.
- NikolaeVarius 5y ago
  How does this disprove market theory. The tests are free due to subsidizing. High demand leads to shortages.
  - sovnade 5y ago
    Because one of the options you stated (waiting in line) isn't even an option in a lot of areas. This specific scenario has nothing to do with market theory. It's a combination of regulation, subsidization, and infrastructure. We're not buying playstations.
  - skohan 5y ago
    Are PCR tests free in the US? I found tons of paid testing services when looking, they just didn't have capacity.
    - sovnade 5y ago
      Yes they're free. I haven't paid for an antigen test or PCR test and I've had probably half a dozen of each.
      - cr1895 5y ago
        They’re covered by insurance…try being a visitor to the US then an antigen test will cost you $150+.
        sovnade 5y ago
        They're also covered if you don't have insurance, but yeah that could be completely correct if you're not a citizen/resident of the US. Bummer.

skohan 5y ago

Are you talking about PCR tests, or antigen tests? All I can tell you is that this week, my Aunt and I were both flying out of EWR. She needed a PCR test for the flight which was supposed to be Tuesday, and she started looking on Friday, but it was almost impossible to find anywhere with an appointment available before Thursday. And even those gave a very fuzzy 1-3 day estimate for results, which is quite unhelpful when you have to take the test within 72 hours of departure. She spent an entire day trying to find somewhere which would take walk-ins, and eventually found a place through a fiend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend who could get her in, although she did have to push the flight back by a day. From my perspective, this just seemed totally broken. I don't understand how there could not be a vendor, easily discoverable through Google which could deliver same-day or next-day results at whatever price the market would bear, even if it was $300 or $500 or whatever. It felt like being in a developing country where things just can't be depended on to work properly.

smabie 5y ago
You can order at-home rapid antigen supervised (over webcam) tests to your home that are accepted for flights. Not sure it would come over night though. But you're right it is totally broken: they should be auctioning these PCR testing slots to the highest bidder. But of course then there would uproar about "price gouging." Somewhat similar to how everyone is complaining they can't find PS5s and yet Sony is unwilling to raise topics because the optics would be bad.
- skohan 5y ago
  Are you sure there are at-home antigen tests which are universally accepted for international travel? I have been on a number of international flights during this period, and having read the entry requirements for a few different countries, this would be the first I have heard of this.
  - smabie 5y ago
    Yes, however I just checked and they seem unavailable at the moment.

TheDudeMan 5y ago

> the government Which of the many governments in the world are you talking about?

NikolaeVarius 5y ago
So the post is talking about NYC, which exists in the USA, so I presume its fairly obvious what Government
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]

sovnade 5y ago

If you haven't been for a covid test lately, especially in a populated area, things have changed significantly. Lines are 4-12 hours long and often run out of tests before they can get to everyone. There are no appointments available. Urgent Care centers are overrun and can't handle nearly as many tests as people are requesting.

NikolaeVarius 5y ago
How does this disprove market theory. The tests are free due to subsidizing. High demand leads to shortages.
- sovnade 5y ago
  Because one of the options you stated (waiting in line) isn't even an option in a lot of areas. This specific scenario has nothing to do with market theory. It's a combination of regulation, subsidization, and infrastructure. We're not buying playstations.
- skohan 5y ago
  Are PCR tests free in the US? I found tons of paid testing services when looking, they just didn't have capacity.
  - sovnade 5y ago
    Yes they're free. I haven't paid for an antigen test or PCR test and I've had probably half a dozen of each.
    - cr1895 5y ago
      They’re covered by insurance…try being a visitor to the US then an antigen test will cost you $150+.
      - sovnade 5y ago
        They're also covered if you don't have insurance, but yeah that could be completely correct if you're not a citizen/resident of the US. Bummer.