As infections surged in Hong Kong in February 2022, long lines formed at specimen-collection stations. Reports described waits lasting hours, with residents complaining not only about unclear instructions but also about the risk of catching COVID-19 while standing in line. Laboratories processing the tests were also overwhelmed.
What distinguishes this queue is its contradiction: a procedure intended to identify infection kept people close together for extended periods. Limited capacity appeared not only in delayed results but in the outdoor wait before a sample was taken.