Silke Jasso
It looks like CVS and Walgreens are doing everything they can to help the public fight against COVID-19. The leading US drugstore chains will now be hosting more test sites in May for the coronavirus. Parking lot, drive-through, and in-store testing at the retail chains will come up in the few coming weeks. CVS is eyeing around 1,000 participating locations, which is 10 percent of all stores in the country.
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They still haven’t released which stores exactly will have the test and which won’t, but the test will be coming at the end of summer. CVS Health offers self swab coronavirus testings to individuals who meet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria. Walgreens will be establishing free drive-thru nasal testing, which is expected to test more than 50,000 people a week when they begin. At CVS, patients can schedule tests online which will be conducted in parking lots or drive-thru windows. By the end of May, CVS expects to be processing approximately 1.5 million times a month.
CVS, Walgreens among retail chains expanding free coronavirus testing https://t.co/AUow8F8fv9 pic.twitter.com/1WWgsYaRqk
— The Hill (@thehill) April 28, 2020
Through a statement, CVS noted, employees and health officials “participating in the test collection process will maintain safety using personal protective equipment and follow sanitization protocols after each test.” CVS CEO and President Larry Merlo stated this united by the unique role that they play in addressing the pandemic, and want to protect people’s health any way they can. He noted CVS shared the same goals, and these tests will help slow the spread of the virus just start, “responsibility reopening the economy when experts tell is it safe.”
As for Walgreens, it is said to be focusing its efforts on improving the access to testing in underserved communities. It will also be working with companies to provide testing to employees to help businesses reopen in the weeks and months ahead. According to Walgreen officials, the safety and health of their customers, team members, and communities are a top priority for them now more than ever. They stated, “All testing site staff will be provided with the necessary personal protective equipment as recommended by the CDC. Patients being tested will not be permitted to leave their vehicles or to enter the store.”
CVS is bringing testing to a place near you – 1,000 stores will offer drive thru testing, processing 1.5 million tests per month. https://t.co/dwroBCAfns via @usatoday
— Norman de Greve (@ndegreve) April 28, 2020
As of now, CVS has testing locations in Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. The company did state they are working to add sites as quickly as possible, meaning more states can are expected to be added to their list. For Walgreens, as of now, testing is available in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin with more sites coming soon.
CVS Minute Clinic Covid-19 Testing Website
Drive-thru COVID-19 Testing at Walgreens Website
