CVS Health said Monday it will be running two new drive-thru coronavirus testing locations and hopes to perform up to 1,000 tests a day.
The sites are at Georgia Tech in Atlanta and at Twin River Casino near Providence, Rhode Island. They will use Abbott Laboratories' rapid COVID-19 test and make testing available to patients who meet the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the state governments. Both sites have large parking lots that can accommodate multiple lanes of cars.
CVS launched its first drive-thru testing operation at one of its Massachusetts stores on March 20. That site tests first responders.
The new sites will be open to all patients, but in order to receive an appointment for a test, customers will be required to preregister and prequalify online. No one will be admitted without preregistering.
"Our providers will be able to test large numbers of people in these states and make real-time decisions about treatment," said Dr. Troyen Brennan, chief medical officer and executive vice president at CVS Health.
CVS and rival Walgreens have been hampered in their efforts to ramp up more drive-thru testing by supply constraints for tests and for personal protective equipment for their pharmacy staff conducting the procedure.
"This unique, public-private partnership will strengthen our testing capability," Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said. "We are grateful for CVS Health's support to stop the spread of the virus."
Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo said the effort would double the state's testing capacity.
"Today marks a giant leap forward in our efforts to combat this virus," said Raimondo.
