CVS Health announced plans to expand COVID-19 testing services currently offered at select CVS pharmacies to include rapid-result testing at nearly 1,000 sites by the end of the year, according to a press release.
Rapid-result COVID-19 diagnostic tests are available at no cost to patients who meet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) criteria. In addition, rapid-result tests may also be available as a testing option for eligible employees or students affiliated with an organization that has adopted CVS Health's Return Ready return-to-work COVID-19 testing solution.
Nearly 100 of the planned rapid-result test sites will be operational at select CVS Pharmacy locations in 22 states as of this week, CVS Health said. States include Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia.
To date, CVS Health has administered more than 5 million COVID-19 tests since March, and currently manages more than 4,000 drive-thru test sites at CVS Pharmacy locations in 33 states and Washington, DC. Most results from these existing test sites are generally available within 2 to 3 days. The company is adapting some of these sites and adding new locations to be able to deliver rapid results at nearly 1,000 sites by the end of the year.
Patients who access rapid-result testing and receive a negative COVID-19 result will have the opportunity to schedule an appointment at the on-site MinuteClinic for further assessment and to determine if a rapid-result test for flu and strep would be appropriate. The MinuteClinic provider will then be able to provide counsel on a treatment plan and prescribe medications if clinically appropriate.
