CVS Health will expand its COVID-19 testing to hundreds of additional locations around the United States, including to potentially more than 45 locations in Georgia.
The pharmacy company was scheduled to attend the White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing Monday to announce its next phase of operation: bringing testing closer to home.
They aim to process an additional 1.5 million coronavirus tests a month beginning in May, according to a news release.
CVS is operating a limited number of large-scale testing locations in five states, including Georgia. These no-cost tests are offered by appointment. Results are returned to patients in less than 30 minutes.
»MORE: CVS opens coronavirus testing site in Atlanta
“Our goal is to reach 1,000 sites at CVS Pharmacy locations across the United States by the end of May,” said Joe Goode, senior director of CVS corporate communications, in an email. “Our primary limitation is the availability of testing equipment and capacity of the labs to process the tests. Our primary focus initially will be those CVS Pharmacy locations that have MinuteClinics.”
Credit: Steve Schaefer
Credit: Steve Schaefer
There are 46 MinuteClinic locations around Georgia, but Goode noted testing will not be exclusive to those locations.
The tests will be a self-swab per CDC guidelines and will be administered through drive-thru windows or in parking lots to limit contact.
"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," said Larry J. Merlo, president and CEO of CVS Health.
This new influx of testing centers is welcome news to Georgians, who still face a low per-capita rate of testing compared with other locations across the United States.
»RELATED: Georgia playing catch-up in coronavirus testing
However, according to Business Insider, the United States is finally catching up to other countries around the world with numbers of testing. According to their data, the U.S. ranks second after Italy, with more than 11,800 tests per 1 million residents.
About the Author
