COVID-19 Rapid Tests In Ontario Are Being Sold For Over $200 On Craigslist & TikTok RN

COVID-19 rapid antigen tests are one of the hottest gifts this holiday season, and people in Ontario are selling them online for hundreds of dollars.

In response to the Omicron variant, the Ontario government started offering free rapid take-home tests at locations like LCBOs on December 17. However, long lines, wait times and limited supplies seem to have caused an online market for those unable to get their hands on a free rapid test kit.

On sites like Craigslist and TikTok, those with an entrepreneurial spirit that somewhat resembles the toilet paper hoarding of 2020 are trying to make a profit off of the tests.

One user on Craigslist advertised two "Brand New Sealed boxes/25 Abbott Covid 19 Rapid Tests" for $250 in East York, and another user offered an "Unopened Sealed Box of 7 Covid-19 Lateral Flow Tests" for $140 in North Toronto.

TikTok may be best known for funny dances and even destructive trends, but some people are also using the app to make a quick buck.

One user posted a video on December 17 advertising individual rapid tests for $200 each or a five-pack box for $2,000.

Other users are taking to TikTok to brag about their recent sales, with one user posting a video of them taking a rapid test kit out of a backpack with the on-screen text reading "just made 200 bucks."

The caption of the post reads, "Thx ontario lmao."

One TikTok user seems intent on beating out other sellers, advertising the lowest price I came across with one rapid test kit for $30.06.

Another post shows a TikTok user selling their rapid test kits without a price tag, but referring to other sites where similar kits were being sold for $269.99 and $499.95.

From December to the middle of January, the Ontario government says they will give away up to two million free rapid tests at pop-up sites at locations such as malls, retail settings, holiday markets, public libraries, transit hubs and select LCBOs.