CVS Health expands COVID-19 testing in California
FILE - A sign on the side of the CVS Pharmacy on May 15, 2020 in Carver, Massachusetts. Nine CVS locations began providing coronavirus tests in Massachusetts, issuing self swab tests to people by appointment. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES - CVS Health is expanding its COVID-19 no-cost testing program by adding 35 more test sites Friday at select CVS Pharmacy drive-thrus across California, including four locations in Los Angeles and Orange counties, amid a surge in new coronavirus cases.
The opening of additional test sites adds to the 107 locations previously opened statewide, 45 of them in the Southland.
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, according to President and CEO Larry J. Merlo.
In addition to the drive-thru sites, CVS Health has partnered with 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 at highest risk for COVID-19, Merlo said.
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 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria, in addition to state and age guidelines.
Patients must register online in advance 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 about 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 Los Angeles and Orange counties are located at the following CVS pharmacies:
• 1676 W. Katella Ave., Anaheim;
• 3208 E. Florence Ave., Huntington Park;
• 4345 W. Century Blvd., Inglewood; and
• 5030 Long Beach Blvd., Long Beach.
The other testing sites in Los Angeles and Orange counties are located at the following CVS pharmacies:
• 510 S. Beach Blvd., Anaheim;
• 611 S. Brookhurst St., Anaheim;
• 188 Las Tunas Drive, Arcadia;
• 915 E. Arrow Highway, Azusa;
• 3151 Baldwin Park Blvd., Baldwin Park;
• 1550 Puente Ave., Baldwin Park;
• 1820 W. Verdugo Ave. Burbank;
• 21590 E. Valley Blvd., City of Industry;
• 901 S. Central Ave., Compton;
• 2701 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa;
• 1150 Baker St., Costa Mesa;
• 8400 Firestone Blvd., Downey;
• 1030 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock;
• 455 N. State College Blvd., Fullerton;
• 155 Pacific Coast Highway, Hermosa Beach;
• 16961 Beach Blvd., Huntington Beach;
• 15520 Goldenwest St., Huntington Beach;
• 16922 Bolsa Chica St., Huntington Beach;
• 17625 Harvard Ave., Irvine;
• 1151 S. Harbor Blvd., La Habra;
• 858 N. Sunset Ave., La Puente;
• 6510 South Street, Lakewood;
• 846 W. Avenue K, Lancaster;
• 25829 Narbonne Ave., Lomita;
• 1250 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach;
• 3401 Katella Ave, Los Alamitos;
• 5176 E. Whittier Blvd., Los Angeles;
• 950 W. Foothill Blvd., Monrovia;
• 10945 Victory Blvd., North Hollywood;
• 3883 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena;
• 8580 Whittier Blvd., Pico Rivera;
• 316 S. Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach;
• 7400 Reseda Blvd., Reseda;
• 602 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente;
• 120 E. Bonita Ave., San Dimas;
• 1204 San Fernando Road, San Fernando;
• 26861 Sierra Highway, Santa Clarita;
• 921 Pacific Coast Highway, Seal Beach;
• 1954 Durfee Ave., South El Monte;
• 12444 Beach Blvd., Stanton;
• 1303 W. Sepulveda Blvd., Torrance;
• 15180 Kensington Park Drive, Tustin;
• 10048 Mills Ave., Whittier;
• 19701 Vanowen St., Winnetka; and
• 18080 Imperial Highway, Yorba Linda.