CVS Health opens 10 drive-thru COVID-19 test sites in Kansas

CVS Health is forging ahead with its commitment to scale up COVID-19 testing capabilities. On Friday CVS Health will open 10 new COVID-19 test sites at select CVS Pharmacy drive-thru locations across Kansas.

These new sites will utilize self-swab tests and deliver on the company's commitment to establish 1,000 locations across the country as originally announced on April 27. The company said the new test sites help enable a goal of processing up to 1.5 million tests per month, subject to availability of supplies and lab capacity.

"CVS Health has been at the forefront of helping our nation scale-up COVID-19 testing capabilities, and we're proud to meet our goal of establishing 1,000 testing sites in communities across the country," said Larry Merlo, CVS Health president and CEO. "Opening access to testing in more locations using our drive-thru window represents an important milestone in our response to the pandemic. We remain grateful for the daily efforts and sacrifices of our front-line colleagues who make the continued expansion of our testing possible."

More than half of the company's 1,000 test sites will serve communities with the greatest need for support, as measured by the CDC's Social Vulnerability Index. The index tracks a variety of census variables including poverty, lack of access to transportation, and crowded housing that may weaken a community's ability to prepare for and recover from hazardous events like natural disasters and disease outbreaks.

Self-swab tests will be available to individuals meeting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria, in addition to state and age guidelines. Patients must register in advance at CVS.com beginning Friday, June 12 to schedule an appointment. Patients will be required to stay in their cars and will be 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.

The new testing sites in Kansas include:

• CVS Pharmacy, 950 Minnesota Avenue, Kansas City, Kan.
• CVS Pharmacy, 3750 State Avenue, Kansas City, Kan.
• CVS Pharmacy, 2300 Iowa Street, Lawrence, Kan.
• CVS Pharmacy, 390 Limit Street, Leavenworth, Kan.
• CVS Pharmacy, 18351 West 119th Street, Olathe, Kan.
• CVS Pharmacy, 11900 West 135th Street, Overland Park, Kan.
• CVS Pharmacy, 22700 West 55th Terrace, Shawnee, Kan.
• CVS Pharmacy, 3901 SW 21st Street, Topeka, Kan.
• CVS Pharmacy, 3149 East Harry Street, Wichita, Kan.
• CVS Pharmacy, 4808 East Central Avenue, Wichita, Kan.

A complete list of CVS Pharmacy drive-thru test sites can be found here.

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.