The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) announced on Thursday that it is expanding its partnership with Walgreens to offer Abbott BinaxNOW rapid antigen COVID-19 testing for free at specific locations throughout the Commonwealth, according to a press release from the agency.
Before the expanded agreement only four Walgreens in the state were providing the drive-through tests, but now that number has increased to 15 select locations, the release said.
“We are pleased to announce the expansion of this public-private partnership following a successful pilot with four Walgreens locations,” Dr. Parham Jaberi, VDH public health and preparedness deputy commissioner said in the release. “Our continued partnership will help ensure increased access to COVID-19 testing at no cost for some of our communities that lack a fixed testing location or have higher rates of vulnerable populations.”
The testing is only available at those specific Walgreens by appointment and for adults as well as children above the age of 3 who meet the screening criteria. When a person shows up at a location, the testing is completely self-administered and the Walgreens teams will be overseeing it. Tests will get processed at the pharmacy and the results provided to patients within 24 hours, the release said.
To schedule an appointment, visit: Walgreens.com/COVID19Testing and follow the steps on the webpage.
“Walgreens takes pride in offering support to our customers and communities in times of need, and we’re pleased to work in collaboration with Virginia’s health officials on their efforts to broaden access to COVID-19 testing to vulnerable populations,” Paul Blankenship, Walgreens regional vice president in Virginia, said.
Even though the tests are technically available to anyone who makes an appointment and meets the screening criteria, the VDH is encouraging people who are symptomatic, has been in close contact with someone that tested positive, those with high risk of getting ill or suffering complications and essential workers, according to the release.
The 15 locations are fairly spread out among the Commonwealth’s regions. But, as intended, almost half are located in the more rural far Southwest and South, in areas that have experienced higher rates of cases. Only a handful are in urban metropolitan areas, such as Fairfax, Richmond and Chesapeake.
All locations with addresses are as follows:
- Chesapeake: 1168 George Washington Hwy North
- Collinsville: 3590 Virginia Ave
- Fairfax (Centreville): 13926 Lee Hwy
- Giles (Pearisburg): 121 North Main St
- Lee (Pennington Gap): 5261 US Hwy 421
- North Dinwiddie: 26036 Cox Rd
- Northumberland (Callao): 17422 Richmond Rd.
- Patrick (Stuart): 140 South Main St.
- Pulaski: 901 Memorial Dr.
- Pulaski (Dublin): 240 Broad St.
- Richmond: 4845 Laburnum Ave
- Rockingham (Timberville): 14111 Timber Way
- Shenandoah (Woodstock): 120 West Reservoir Rd.
- South Boston: 3220 Halifax Rd
- Suffolk: 118 West Constance Rd.
To see additional testing options available, visit: https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus/covid-19-testing/.
On a separate front, Walgreens pharmacy teams are also working in tandem with CVS to lead the vaccination effort for residents and staff of Virginia’s long-term care facilities through a federal partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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Jacob Taylor is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network. Follow Jacob on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
