Pensacola, Fl
As part of its overall effort to increase access to testing for COVID-19 in order to help slow the spread of the virus, CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) today announced that children ages 12 and over are eligible for testing at more than 2,000 test sites located at test drive sites. From CVS Pharmacy selected, starting Friday 11 September. In addition, more than 120 new test sites will open at CVS Pharmacy locations across the country.
“With schools opening across the country, there is an urgent need to make exams for minors more easily available,” said Troin Brennan, CVS Health’s chief medical officer. “In response, we have implemented a system that allows parents or guardians to register and accompany their children to take a self-scanning test close to home.”
In recent weeks, CVS Health has expanded its network of independent, external laboratory partners in an effort to help improve the response time for delivery of test results. As a result, the majority of test results from samples collected at CVS test sites across the country will generally be available within two to three days.
Self-swab tests are inexpensive for patients and will be available to individuals who meet Centers for Disease Control and Prevention standards.
Patients must register in advance with CVS.com to make an appointment. Minors 12 years of age or older are now eligible for COVID-19 testing at CVS Pharmacy Drive Positions. A parent or legal guardian must complete online registration for all minor patients, and patients between the ages of 12 and 15 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian when they come to the test. Parents or guardians seeking testing for children under 12 years of age should consult a pediatrician to determine appropriate testing options.
On arrival for the test, patients are asked to follow signs or instructions from on-site personnel. Procedures vary by location and patients may be directed to remain in their vehicles and proceed either to the driving window of the pharmacy or to the parking lot or tent in the parking lot or, in very limited spaces, to enter the CVS store. Patients will be provided with a testing kit and instructions, and a member of the CVS pharmacy team will monitor the self-scanning process.
To date, CVS Health has conducted more than three million COVID-19 tests since launching its first test site in the parking lot of the CVS Pharmacy in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts in March.
