CVS to Offer COVID-19 Swab Testing at Select Locations

CVS Health announced recently that it will begin offering self-administered swab testing for COVID-19 at select locations.

“In addition to the large-scale test sites the company has been operating since March, CVS Health will utilize its expansive community presence to bring testing closer to home while maintaining strict safety standards,” the company stated in its press release.

For individuals who meet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria, select CVS locations will offer self-swab tests in their parking lots or via drive-thru windows starting in May. CVS employees will utilize PPE and follow sanitation protocols to maintain safety and cleanliness in stores.  

The goal is to implement this level of testing at up to 1000 of CVS’ locations and process 1.5 tests monthly, subject to supplies availability and lab capacity.

“Our industry has been united by the unique role we can play in addressing the pandemic and protecting people’s health,” said Larry J Merlo, president and CEO, CVS Health, in a press release. “We all share the same goal, and that’s dramatically increasing the frequency and efficiency of testing so we can slow the spread of the virus and start to responsibly reopen the economy when experts tell us it’s safe.”

CVS Health already operates several COVID-19 rapid testing sites in five different states through collaboration with the Department of Health and Human Services. Select CVS store locations in Connecticut, Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Rhode Island  have parking lots that can accommodate up to 1000 tests per day. These sites are overseen by licensed health care providers from MinuteClinic, the retail medical clinic inside CVS Pharmacy locations, with assistance from CVS pharmacists and other employees.

“The selflessness displayed every day by the health care professionals at CVS Health and around the world is inspiring beyond words, and we owe them a debt of gratitude,” said Mr Merlo. “The same is true for frontline workers everywhere who continue to provide essential goods and services when we need them most.” —Edan Stanley