TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — As health experts anticipate a second wave of the virus, CVS Health announced today it is doubling its drive-thru COVID-19 test sites to more than 4,000 across the U.S., with a new Terre Haute site opening Friday.
Terre Haute’s new test site, at 905 Poplar St., is one of 18 new locations opening throughout Indiana, bringing the state total to 48. CVS had previously opened a drive-thru testing site at its location at 670 Margaret Ave. An additional site in Bloomington is also being added. Nearby, Washington also has a site.
Friday will see 400 new drive-thru test sites at CVS pharmacies across the country. By mid-October, CVS will be operating 4,000 sites, the largest number of independently run COVID-19 test sites in the country.
Patients must register in advance at CVS.com to schedule an appointment. A parent or legal guardian must complete the online registration for all minor patients, and patients 12–15 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian when they come to be tested.
CVS has now expanded testing to include children ages 12 and older, as schools reopen across the country. Testing is offered to insured and uninsured patients, with no out-of-pocket costs to patients.
“Since opening our first test site in March, we’ve been able to quickly adapt to the changing landscape in order to make it easier for people in the communities we serve to access testing,” said Jon Roberts, Chief Operating Officer, CVS Health and acting President, CVS Pharmacy. “We recognize the critical role testing plays in helping to manage the spread of the virus and are incredibly proud of how our teams have responded to this need while continuing to take care of our customers, clients and patients.”
When arriving for testing, patients are asked to follow signage or the instructions of the staff onsite. Procedures vary by location and patients may be directed to stay in their cars and proceed to either the pharmacy drive-thru window or a parking space or tent located in the parking lot or, in very limited locations, to enter a CVS store. Patients will be provided with a test kit and given instructions, and a CVS Pharmacy team member will observe the self-swab process.
Most test results from specimens collected at CVS test sites across the country are expected to be available within two to three days.
