CVS Health to open 1,000 COVID-19 drive-thru test sites by end of May

CVS Health is expanding its COVID-19 drive-thru testing capabilities. The company on Friday, May 15 will open more than 50 COVID-19 test sites at select CVS Pharmacy drive-thru locations across Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. Over the next two weeks, the company will open more than 900 additional test sites across the country.

The new sites will utilize self-swab tests and mark the next phase of the company’s COVID-19 testing strategy, announced April 27 at the White House. CVS Health expects to have up to 1,000 locations across the country offering this service by the end of May, with the goal of processing up to 1.5 million tests per month subject to availability of supplies and lab capacity. The company currently operates large-scale rapid test sites in coordination with five states, which can process a total of nearly 30,000 tests per week.

"While the large-scale test sites we’ve been operating since early April have proven successful, this new approach allows us to utilize our presence in communities across the country and bring testing closer to home," said Larry Merlo, CVS Health president and CEO. "Our frontline employees will continue to play a critical role in the testing process, with members of their communities directly benefitting from their dedication and selflessness.”

Self-swab tests will be available to individuals meeting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria, in addition to age guidelines. Patients must register in advance at CVS.com beginning May 15 to schedule an appointment. Patients will be required to stay in their cars and directed to the pharmacy drive-thru window where they will be provided with a test kit and given instructions, and a CVS Pharmacy team member will observe the self-swab process to ensure it is done properly. Tests will be sent to an independent, third-party lab for processing and the results will be available in approximately three days.

Testing will not take place inside any retail locations, and CVS Pharmacy, HealthHub and MinuteClinic will continue to serve customers and patients.

More information on steps CVS Health has taken to address the COVID-19 pandemic, including support for health care providers and clinicians facing financial and administrative strain, is available at the company's frequently updated COVID-19 resource center.