Getting pandemic supplies a challenge in some low-income N.B. neighbourhoods

Before Christmas, Samantha Hebert took the bus across town from her home in Crescent Valley in Saint John, making her way to the Diamond Jubilee Cruise Terminal uptown.

But when Hebert arrived at the city's only rapid test kit pickup site, where she hoped to get kits for her family of seven before the holidays, she found a long lineup.

With a limited window to complete her errands and catch the bus home, Hebert turned around.

"The line was crazy," she said. "I shook my head and said, 'I can't stand here all day.' I had other stuff to do."

With Omicron spreading, New Brunswick Public Health officials have recommended people keep a supply of rapid test kits, but some people were greeted with long lines and no access to test kits at some pickup sites in the last two weeks. 

Federal Public Health officials recently updated the guidance about masks, suggesting people ditch their reusable cloth masks for three-ply surgical masks or, if possible, N95-type respirators that can provide better protection.

But N95 or KN95 masks aren't easy to find either, and the challenge is even harder if you don't have reliable transportation or access to child care to try to track the items down, plus extra money to spend on new masks.

Asked about accessing rapid test kits, Hebert said people with transportation and other difficulties need alternatives to getting into line across town.

"Maybe somebody could take an address and do, like, a porch drop-off or something," she said. "There's a lot of elderly people too, they don't drive, they use buses too and that'd be a long time standing there for them as well."

Two days before Christmas, Hebert was able to pick up a supply of rapid test kits from the Crescent Valley Resource Centre, a short walk from her home.

"Oh my God, I was relieved," she said. "It's close and convenient."

The kits were dropped off by the YMCA of Greater Saint John, which got the supply through the Canadian Red Cross. The charity's Stop the Spread program helps provide access to COVID-19 rapid testing for community organizations.

"Here at the regional YMCA, we have a lot of newcomer clients in our centre," said Kathryn Melvin, the general manager of newcomer and community connections with the YMCA of Greater Saint John.

"We're also located near priority neighbourhoods. So when they reached out to us, I said absolutely, we can definitely do that. We can hand those out to people in need."