CVS Health expands testing capabilities in California amid rise in COVID-19 cases

CVS Health is increasing testing capacity as COVID-19 cases begin to rise in California.

In an ongoing effort to help slow the spread of the virus, CVS Health today expanded its COVID-19 testing program by announcing 35 additional test sites at select CVS Pharmacy drive-thru locations across California. The opening of additional test sites on Friday, June 26 add to the 107 locations previously opened in California.

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 a mobile site together with Medical Mission Adventures, which will be providing testing in Arleta, Sylmar and San Fernando 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 Merlo, CVS Health president and CEO. “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 60% of the company's 1,400 test sites across the country, including 81% of sites in California, 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 California include: