CVS Health meets commitment of 1,000 test sites

CVS Health had delivered on its ambitious goal to significantly expand COVID-19 testing capabilities.  

In late April, CVS said it expected to have up to 1,000 locations nationwide offering self-swab COVID-19 tests by the end of May. The company will have met it goal as of May 29, having opened a total of 1,000 sites across more than 30 states and Washington, D.C. 

Testing id scheduled online and take place at select CVS Pharmacy locations in parking lots or at drive-thru windows. No testing will take place in-store. 

"It's no small feat to operationalize 1,000 test sites in weeks under trying circumstances, which is a credit to our employees and their unwavering commitment to being part of the solution," said Larry J. Merlo, president and CEO, CVS Health. "Our testing strategy will continue to evolve and make the most effective use of our resources as we work to help safely re-open the economy."

More than half of the company's 1,000 test sites will serve communities with the greatest need for support, as measured by the Centers for Disease Control’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.

Since it opened its first pilot site outside a CVS Pharmacy in Shrewsbury, Mass., in mid-March, the company has performed nearly 200,000 tests nationwide. None of the testing sites are located inside any CVS Pharmacy MinuteClinic or HealthHUB locations.