WOONSOCKET, R.I., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of
its comprehensive effort to increase access to COVID-19 testing in
order to help slow the spread of the virus, CVS Health (NYSE: CVS)
today announced that children age 12 years and older are eligible
for testing at the more than 2,000 test sites located at select CVS
Pharmacy drive-thru testing locations, starting Friday, September 11. In addition, more than 120
new test sites will open Friday at CVS Pharmacy drive-thru
locations across the country.
"With schools opening across the country, there's an urgent need
to make testing for minors more readily available," said Troyen
Brennan, MD, Chief Medical Officer, CVS Health. "In response, we've
implemented a system that allows parents or guardians to register
and accompany their children for a self-swab test close to
home."
In recent weeks, CVS Health has expanded its network of
independent third-party lab partners in an effort to help improve
turnaround time for the delivery of test results. As a result, the
majority of test results from specimens collected at CVS test sites
across the country will generally be available within 2 – 3
days.
Self-swab tests are no cost to patients and will be available to
individuals meeting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
criteria.1 Patients must register in advance at CVS.com
to schedule an appointment. Minors ages 12 and older are now
eligible for COVID-19 testing at CVS Pharmacy drive-thru sites. A
parent or legal guardian must complete the on-line registration for
all minor patients, and patients 12 – 15 years of age must be
accompanied by a parent or legal guardian when they come to be
tested. Parents or guardians seeking testing for children under the
age of 12 should consult with a pediatrician to identify
appropriate testing options.
When arriving for testing, patients are asked to follow signage
or the instructions of the staff onsite. Procedures vary by
location and patients may be directed to stay in their cars and
proceed to either the pharmacy drive-thru window or a parking space
or tent located in the parking lot or, in very limited locations,
to enter a CVS store. Patients will be provided with a test kit and
given instructions, and a CVS Pharmacy team member will observe the
self-swab process.
To date, CVS Health has administered more than three million
COVID-19 tests since launching its first test site in the parking
lot of a CVS Pharmacy location in Shrewsbury, Mass. in March.
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 is available at the company's frequently
updated COVID-19 resource center.
For downloadable COVID-19 testing media assets, including photos
and video, please visit the Media Resource Center.
1COVID-19 tests are no cost to patients with
insurance or through a program for the uninsured funded by the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services.
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.
Media Contact
Joe
Goode
(401) 378-5220
Joseph.Goode@CVSHealth.com
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SOURCE CVS Health