CVS Health announced today that is expanded its COVID-19 testing program by adding 24 additional test sites at select CVS Pharmacy drive-thru locations across Illinois. The opening of additional test sites on Friday, May 29 add to the 16 locations previously opened in Illinois.
These new sites will utilize self-swab tests and deliver on the company’s commitment to establish 1,000 locations across the country by the end of May. These sites will help enable the company’s goal of processing up to 1.5 million tests per month, subject to availability of supplies and lab capacity.
“CVS Health has been at the forefront of helping our nation scale-up COVID-19 testing capabilities, and we’re proud to meet our goal of establishing 1,000 testing sites in communities across the country,” said Larry J. Merlo, President and CEO, CVS Health. “Opening access to testing to more locations using our drive-thru window represents an important milestone in our response to the pandemic. We remain grateful for the daily efforts and sacrifices of our front-line colleagues who make the continued expansion of our testing possible.”
More than half of the company’s 1,000 test sites will serve communities with the greatest need for support, as measured by the CDC’s Social Vulnerability Index, said the company in a prepared statement.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 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria, in addition to state and age guidelines. Patients must register in advance at CVS.com beginning Friday, May 29 to schedule an appointment. Patients will be required to stay in their cars and will be directed to the pharmacy drive-thru window, 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 the Evanston area are:
CVS Pharmacy, 7139 North Milwaukee Avenue, Niles, IL 60714
CVS Pharmacy, 3434 Dempster Street, Skokie, IL 60076
CVS Pharmacy, 1515 Sheridan Road, Wilmette, IL 60091