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A woman dressed in protective gear prepares to administer a coronavirus test at a drive-through testing site
Walmart
As the coronavirus outbreak continues to take a toll in the U.S., major pharmacy chains — including CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens — as well as big retailers such as Kroger and Walmart are stepping up efforts to offer testing options in local communities. All tests are free to patients who meet eligibility criteria established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Typical symptoms of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, include shortness of breath, fever and cough. Some retailers also are extending testing options to nonsymptomatic health care workers and first responders.
In general, patients seeking testing must first undergo an online screening process to determine eligibility and secure an appointment. Once at a testing site, usually arriving by car, the patient will be asked to self-administer a nose swab under the guidance of a pharmacist or other health care professional. Patients typically remain in their vehicles during testing. Some test results are delivered on-site; most, however, are delivered later by phone or email.
Michael Mina, an assistant professor of epidemiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, raises concerns about the effectiveness of self-administered nasal swab tests. “There's some evidence that it does not work as well,” says Mina, who specializes in immunology and infectious diseases. “It might have 15 percent loss in sensitivity, for example. We're trying to understand maybe saliva works better in self-swabbing than nasal pharyngeal swab."
In the rush to combat the coronavirus spread, the Food and Drug Administration has granted what's called emergency use authorization (EUA) to coronavirus tests, which means the tests have not gone through the typically rigorous regulatory approval process. Some retailers are using a rapid test developed by Abbott called ID Now, which can deliver results on the spot. Others are using tests that require swabs to be sent off to central labs for processing to get test results.
"The normal solution that the swab gets placed back into after being taken seems to inhibit some of the Abbott ID Now process, and there's a loss of sensitivity there,” says Mina, who favors tests that are processed in central labs.
Here's a list of retailers offering coronavirus testing, with details on test site locations, types of tests used, wait times for results, and screening and eligibility procedures.
In Rhode Island cars line up and await testing at a CVS Rapid Testing location
CVS Health
CVS
Number of testing sites: Over 50 drive-through locations are currently available in large parking lots identified in conjunction with local officials. The company plans to reach up to 1,000 sites by the end of May. CVS Pharmacy locations with in-store MinuteClinics are being prioritized.
States currently offering testing: Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.
Type(s) of tests currently offered: Abbott's self-administered ID Now COVID-19 nasal swab test
How to get tested: Patients must answer a few questions online to find out if they qualify for testing. Then, they can select a location site and appointment time online. Patients must bring proof of identity and in-state residency.
Wait time for results: Results may be available in as little as 30 minutes, depending on volume being tested per site. Patients should remain in their vehicles to await the test results and, if positive, treatment plan. If there is a delay in processing, CVS will call the patient with the result within a few days.
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