CVS Health Expands Testing Capabilities Amid Rise in COVID-19 Cases; Adds 44 Additional New Drive-Thru Test Sites in Texas

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CVS Health now has a total of 130 drive-thru test sites across Texas, with 83% 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

News provided by

CVS Health

Jun 25, 2020, 08:00 ET

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 44 additional test sites at select CVS Pharmacy drive-thru locations across Texas. The opening of additional test sites on Friday, June 26 add to the 86 locations previously opened in Texas.

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, including sites at Mercy Clinic's South Fort Worth Clinic and the Ibn Sina Wilcrest Community Clinic in Houston 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 83% of sites in Texas, 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 Texas include:

CVS Pharmacy, 317 East Amarillo Blvd., Amarillo, TX 79107
CVS Pharmacy, 3340 South Western Street, Amarillo, TX 79109
CVS Pharmacy, 2101 S. Lamar Boulevard, Austin, TX 78704
CVS Pharmacy, 6850 Eastex Freeway, Beaumont, TX 77708
CVS Pharmacy, 7395 Padre Island Hwy, Brownsville, TX 78520
CVS Pharmacy, 220 S FM 1626, Buda, TX 78610
CVS Pharmacy, 801 West Panola Street, Carthage, TX, 75633
CVS Pharmacy, 9884 Highway 242, Conroe, TX 77385
CVS Pharmacy, 8027 Kitty Hawk, Converse, TX 78109
CVS Pharmacy, 1101 FM 2181, Corinth, TX 76210
CVS Pharmacy, 4166 South Staples Street, Corpus Christi, TX 78411
CVS Pharmacy, 7798 South Padre Island Drive, Corpus Christi, TX 78412
CVS Pharmacy, 10515 Fry Road, Cypress, TX, 77433
CVS Pharmacy, 2820 West University Drive, Edinburg, TX 78539
CVS Pharmacy, 5010 Wesley Street, Greenville, TX 75401
CVS Pharmacy, 118 East Harrison, Harlingen, TX 78550
CVS Pharmacy, 8000 N. Sam Houston Pkwy East., Humble, TX 77396
CVS Pharmacy, 10222 East Freeway, Jacinto City, TX 77029
CVS Pharmacy, 3402 Slide Road, Lubbock, TX 79410
CVS Pharmacy, 608 North Slide Road, Lubbock, TX 79416
CVS Pharmacy, 3402 50th Street, Lubbock, TX 79413
CVS Pharmacy, 923 West Frank Street, Lufkin, TX 75908
CVS Pharmacy, 5600 North 23rd Street, McAllen, TX 78504
CVS Pharmacy, 5315 Briarwood Avenue, Midland, TX 79707
CVS Pharmacy, 210 North Business IH 35, New Braunfels, TX 78130
CVS Pharmacy, 2020 South Walnut Avenue, New Braunfels, TX 78130
CVS Pharmacy, 4101 East 42nd Street, Odessa, TX 79762
CVS Pharmacy, 930 Southmore Avenue, Pasadena, TX 77520
CVS Pharmacy, 11600 Shadow Creek, Pearland, TX 77584
CVS Pharmacy, 1301 So. Cage Blvd., Pharr, TX 78577
CVS Pharmacy, 111 East Hidalgo Avenue, Raymondville, TX 78580
CVS Pharmacy, 9140 Guilbeau, San Antonio, TX 78250
CVS Pharmacy, 7208 FM 78, San Antonio, TX 78244
CVS Pharmacy, 22135 IH-10 W, San Antonio, TX 78257
CVS Pharmacy, 2018 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78201
CVS Pharmacy, 2801 Nogalitos Street, San Antonio, TX 78225
CVS Pharmacy, 4805 Medical Drive, San Antonio, TX 78230
CVS Pharmacy, 8602 Huebner Road, San Antonio, TX 78240
CVS Pharmacy, 2920 E Southcross Boulevard, San Antonio, TX 78223
CVS Pharmacy, 3502 SE Military Drive, San Antonio, TX 78223
CVS Pharmacy, 920 Highway 80, San Marcos, TX 78666
CVS Pharmacy, 2902 Palmer Highway, Texas City, TX 77590
CVS Pharmacy, 601 North Valley Mills, Waco, TX 76710
CVS Pharmacy, 1710 North Richmond Road, Wharton, TX 77488

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

Media Contact
Monica Prinzing, (831) 241-8294
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SOURCE CVS Health