WOONSOCKET, R.I., April 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- To help support local communities and the overall health care system in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, CVS Health joined forces with federal and state officials to announce the opening of rapid COVID-19 drive-through testing sites in Georgia and Rhode Island. The test sites will bolster state efforts to manage the spread of the virus and provide on-the-spot test results. CVS Health will utilize licensed health care providers from MinuteClinic, the company's retail medical clinic, to oversee the testing, which is currently available at no-cost to patients. The company is applying the significant learnings gathered from its COVID-19 testing site opened in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts on March 19th, to help maximize the efficiency and safety at these new sites. For example, testing at these new sites will be held in large parking lots that are easily accessible and able to accommodate multiple lanes of cars at one time and will require eligible individuals to pre-register online. COVID-19 testing will not take place at CVS Pharmacy or MinuteClinic locations. "Our MinuteClinic providers join countless other heroic health care professionals across the country and around the world in forming the first line of defense against this devastating virus," said Troyen Brennan, MD, MPH, Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President, CVS Health. "Thanks to our partnerships with state officials and the utilization of advanced technology, our providers will be able to test large numbers of people in these states and make real-time decisions about treatment and appropriate next steps." The rapid testing will be conducted using the new Abbott ID NOW™ COVID-19 test, which recently received emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the fastest available molecular point-of-care test for the detection of COVID-19. Positive results can be delivered in as little as five minutes and negative results in as little as 13 minutes. "Increased access to rapid testing remains one of our top priorities in order to identify more cases, get Georgians the care they need, and prevent further infection in our communities," said Governor Brian P. Kemp. "This unique, public-private partnership will strengthen our testing capability as we continue to take the fight to COVID-19 in Georgia, and we are grateful for CVS Health's support to stop the spread of the virus." "Today marks a giant leap forward in our efforts to combat this virus. Thanks to the partnership and generosity of CVS Health, we will be able to double our testing capacity and provide on-the-spot results to thousands of Rhode Islanders each day. Making testing rapid and readily available is the key to slowly reopening our economy, and today we are one step closer to that goal," said Rhode Island Governor Gina M. Raimondo. Rapid COVID-19 testing will be available to eligible individuals who meet criteria established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in addition to state residency and age guidelines. Patients will need to pre-register in advance online at CVS.com in order to schedule a same-day time slot for testing. The test site will be located at Georgia Tech (352 Peachtree Place, Atlanta, GA, 30332) in Georgia and at Twin River Casino (100 Twin River Rd, Lincoln, RI, 02865) in Rhode Island. For more information and to register for a test, please visit CVS.com. About CVS Health

CVS Health employees are united around a common goal of becoming the most consumer-centric health company in the world. We're evolving based on changing consumer needs and meeting people where they are, whether that's in the community at one of our nearly 10,000 local touchpoints, in the home, or in the palm of their hand. Our newest offerings – from HealthHUB® locations that are redefining what a pharmacy can be, to innovative programs that help manage chronic conditions – are designed to create a higher-quality, simpler and more affordable experience. Learn more about how we're transforming health at http://www.cvshealth.com. Media Contact:

Christine Cramer

christine.cramer@cvshealth.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cvs-health-announces-opening-of-rapid-covid-19-drive-through-testing-sites-in-georgia-and-rhode-island-301035609.html SOURCE CVS Health