DEERFIELD, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Walgreens today announced plans to open COVID-19 testing locations in 49 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, as the company further expands drive-thru testing to help meet the growing need in communities nationwide. With this latest expansion, Walgreens will focus its efforts on improving access to testing in underserved communities, and over time will also be working with companies to provide testing to employees, to help more businesses re-open in the weeks and months ahead.
All new testing locations will be determined in collaboration with the Administration, federal health agencies and state and local authorities, and once all sites are fully operational, Walgreens expects to test more than 50,000 people each week. The scale and timing of the overall testing expansion is dependent on the availability of tests and overall lab capacity.
“We’re continuing to make steady progress on our efforts to expand COVID-19 testing, and are proud to join others in the industry to help bring more testing resources to communities across the U.S., with an immediate focus on underserved communities,” said Richard Ashworth, Walgreens president. “This public-private partnership remains critical to keeping our communities healthy and enabling more Americans to return to work once they can do so safely. I’m truly grateful for our Walgreens pharmacists, who are playing a critical role in overseeing COVID-19 testing at these locations, while enabling us to serve as a much-needed and trusted point of access.”
Walgreens and LabCorp Expand Partnership to Help Triple Testing Capacity
This latest planned expansion is being made possible through Walgreens’ partnership with LabCorp, as the companies are furthering their relationship in order to triple Walgreens’ current testing capacity.
The new testing sites will utilize LabCorp’s COVID-19 nasal swab diagnostic test1 to determine if an individual currently has the virus.
LabCorp is also offering antibody blood testing at more than 100 LabCorp at Walgreens patient service center locations beginning today. The antibody blood tests detect the presence of antibodies to the virus and can help identify individuals who have been exposed to the virus.
“We are bringing the full force of LabCorp’s science and testing capabilities to serve individuals across the U.S. whether they had the virus or believe they have the virus,” said Adam Schechter, president and CEO of LabCorp. “We are proud to strengthen our existing partnership with Walgreens and we stand with all Americans, healthcare workers, and those on the frontlines who are helping people in need.”
To date, Walgreens has opened 18 COVID-19 drive-thru testing locations across 11 states, and expects to have 23 sites open in 15 states by the end of the week. Walgreens pharmacists are overseeing individuals’ self-administration of COVID-19 tests at these locations.
Drive-thru testing is available by appointment only, and only to individuals who meet eligibility criteria established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In order to receive a test, individuals must first complete an online health assessment to determine eligibility, by visiting Walgreens.com/Covid19Testing. Additional COVID tools and resources can also be found through Walgreens Find Care® available on the Walgreens app or online at Walgreens.com/findcare.
Testing is available at no cost to eligible individuals who meet CDC criteria. All drive-thru testing is being conducted outside and patients are instructed to not leave their vehicles.
About Walgreens
Walgreens (walgreens.com), one of the nation's largest drugstore chains, is included in the Retail Pharmacy USA Division of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (Nasdaq: WBA), a global leader in retail and wholesale pharmacy. Walgreens is proud to be a neighborhood health, beauty and retail destination supporting communities across the country, and was named to FORTUNE* magazine’s 2019 Companies that Change the World list. Approximately 8 million customers interact with Walgreens in stores and online each day. As of August 31, 2019, Walgreens operates 9,277 drugstores with a presence in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, along with its omnichannel business, Walgreens.com. Walgreens also provides specialty pharmacy and mail services and offers in-store clinics and other health care services throughout the United States, most of which are operated by our health care strategic partners.
*© 2019, Fortune Media IP Limited. Used under license.
1LabCorp’s COVID-19 test has not been FDA cleared or approved, has been authorized by FDA under an EUA, and has been authorized only for the detection of nucleic acid from SARS-CoV-2, and not for any other viruses or pathogens. LabCorp’s antibody tests have not been reviewed by the FDA but are being offered by LabCorp in accordance with the public health emergency guidance issued by the FDA. Antibody testing should not be used as the sole basis to diagnose or exclude infection.
