Walmart opened drive-thru coronavirus testing sites
Walmart and Walgreens opened test sites in the Chicago area as the demand for coronavirus testing grows
Walmart, on 22 March 2020, opened its first drive-thru coronavirus testing sites in the parking lots of two of its Chicago-area stores. The sites, launched in partnership with the federal government are located outside Walmart stores in Northlake and Joliet, Illinois.
Only one of the companies, CVS has opened a testing site so far. The company released its first drive-through test site on 19 March 2020 afternoon in Massachusetts, but it is limited to firefighters, police, nurses, and other first responders who are mentioned by government or public health officials.
The slow ramp-up of sites has emphasized concerns voiced by health-care systems and criticisms by politicians about personal protective gear scarcities and challenges of reaching cities and towns across the U.S. as the coronavirus outbreaks. There are no proven vaccines or treatments for the coronavirus, but medical professionals say testing can assist contain the pandemic by inspiring people to self-quarantine and closely monitor their condition so they can seek hospital care, if necessary.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued dreadful warnings about shortages of personal protective gear as health workers and the general public have bought medical gloves, masks, goggles, and gowns. In early March, WHO said it had transported nearly half a million sets of personal protective equipment to 47 countries. It said it would require far more, though, as the pandemic spreads.
At the CVS site, the company’s own pharmacists and nurse practitioners are performing the testing. Joe Goode, CVS spokesman, said that the company has sufficient protective gear, but it has been complex to introduce a drive-through site that is first-of-its-kind for CVS.
There were a lot of working challenges, and the company wanted to ensure that it staged this testing site properly. The team worked with local officials. There are a lot of things to ponder operationally to ensure that the site was ready for patients. The company is utilizing the site as a pilot so that it can then scale.
According to Walgreens, its first site in the parking lot of a Chicago area store would be staffed by government health care workers. The company informed that the site would initially only test first responders, then will move on to serve older people and those with underlying conditions in the upcoming days.
The company said that it is proud to be playing an instrumental role in this private-public partnership, and to do all it can to make sure the health and well-being of Americans during the outbreak.
