CVS Health Expands Testing Capabilities Amid Rise in COVID-19 Cases; Adds 13 Additional New Drive-Thru Test Sites in South Carolina
CVS Health now has a total of 32 drive-thru test sites across South Carolina, with 72% of sites in counties with underserved communities with greatest need for support
Expansion reflects company's commitment to increasing testing capacity as COVID-19 cases begin to rise
WOONSOCKET, R.I., June 25, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In an ongoing effort to help slow the spread of the virus, CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) today expanded its COVID-19 testing program by announcing 13 additional test sites at select CVS Pharmacy drive-thru locations across South Carolina. The opening of additional test sites on Friday, June 26 add to the 19 locations previously opened in South Carolina.
The opening of these new sites reflects the company's commitment to meeting ongoing demand for testing, as well as expanding testing capacity to respond to a surge in new COVID-19 cases. The nearly 200 additional test sites opening across the country this week are among the more than 1,400 locations CVS Health has opened since May and expand the company's testing capacity to more than 1.5 million tests per month, subject to availability of supplies and lab capacity.
In addition to the drive-thru sites, CVS Health has partnered with a number of community organizations to open eight rapid-response community testing sites across the country, which aim to increase access to testing for uninsured and underserved populations who are at highest risk for COVID-19.
"One of our greatest strengths as a company is our local presence in communities across the country, which enables us to uniquely expand people's access to safe and effective COVID-19 testing options and respond to a need for increased testing capacity," said Larry J. Merlo, President and CEO, CVS Health. "We continue to be grateful for the commitment of our frontline colleagues who make these testing sites possible and whose dedication has allowed us to keep our stores open for customers seeking supplies and patients who need care."
Nearly sixty percent of the company's 1,400 test sites across the country, including 72% of sites in South Carolina, are in counties that serve communities with the greatest need for support, as measured by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention'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 CDC criteria, in addition to state and age guidelines. Patients must register in advance at CVS.com to schedule an appointment. Patients will be required to stay in their cars and will be directed to the pharmacy drive-thru window or a location in the parking lot at a few stores, 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 additional new testing sites in South Carolina include:
- CVS Pharmacy, 2500 Broad Street, Camden, SC 29020
- CVS Pharmacy, 2152 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29407
- CVS Pharmacy, 194 Jacobs Highway, Clinton, SC 29325
- CVS Pharmacy, 7749 Garners Ferry Road, Columbia, SC 29209
- CVS Pharmacy, 510 Tom Hall Street, Fort Mill, SC 29715
- CVS Pharmacy, 1055 Red Bank Road, Goose Creek, SC 29445
- CVS Pharmacy, 2100 Augusta Street, Greenville, SC 29602
- CVS Pharmacy, 100 Rembert Dennis Blvd., Monck's Corner, SC 29461
- CVS Pharmacy, 609 Cherry Road, Rock Hill, SC 29732
- CVS Pharmacy, 401 SE Main Street, Simpsonville, SC 29681
- CVS Pharmacy, 1888 Boiling Spring Road, Spartanburg, SC 29316
- CVS Pharmacy, 1515 Old Trolley Road, Summerville, SC 29485
- CVS Pharmacy, 601 Highway 17 North, Surfside, SC 29576
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.
For downloadable COVID-19 testing media assets, including photos, video and interviews with CVS Health executives, please visit the Media Resource Center.
About CVS Health
CVS Health employees are united around a common goal of becoming the most consumer-centric health company. We're evolving based on changing consumer needs and meeting people where they are, whether that's in the community at one of our nearly 10,000 local touchpoints, in the home, or in the palm of their hand. Our newest offerings – from HealthHUB® locations that are redefining what a pharmacy can be, to innovative programs that help manage chronic conditions – are designed to create a higher-quality, simpler and more affordable experience. Learn more about how we're transforming health at www.cvshealth.com
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SOURCE CVS Health
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