On February 24 Walgreens announced, that from now the company will expand Walgreens COVID-19 testing options. It will make make Pixel by Labcorp COVID-19 PCR test home collection kit available over-the-counter at stores nationwide. Also, Clinical Reference Laboratory makes first at-home COVID-19 saliva test available through Walgreens Find Care.
Walgreens has entered into an agreement with Labcorp to sell Pixel by Labcorp COVID-19 PCR Test Home Collection Kits over-the-counter in up to 6,000 Walgreens stores nationwide beginning in spring of this year. Also, Clinical Reference Laboratory (CRL), one of the largest privately held clinical testing laboratories in the U.S., and Walgreens announced that the FDA-authorized CRL Rapid Response COVID-19 Saliva Test is now available through Walgreens Find Care, a digital health platform available on the Walgreens app and Walgreens.com. Sold under CRL’s HealthConfirm brand, the COVID-19 Saliva Test is non-invasive and highly accurate, offering consumers the convenience of self-collecting the test right in their homes without supervision.
COVID-19 Saliva Test
“Testing continues to be a critical tool to keep Americans safe even as the vaccine rolls out,” said Robert Thompson, CEO at Clinical Reference Laboratory. “The HealthConfirm®-branded COVID-19 Saliva Test uses Clinical Reference Laboratory’s PCR testing technology, which demonstrated highly accurate results with 100 percent sensitivity and specificity in its FDA EUA filing. Our goal is to make the test as accessible and convenient as possible to encourage consistent, widespread testing.”
Using Walgreens Find Care, individuals can connect with CRL’s website to order the test if they meet one or more of the clinical guidelines for COVID-19 testing by completing a short online questionnaire. Once the kit arrives, individuals register their test online, deposit a sample of their saliva in the provided collection vial and then drop the sample off using the prepaid FedEx Priority Overnight shipping package at their local FedEx locations.
Results are typically available within 24-48 hours of receipt at the lab through a secure portal and are also delivered directly to individuals’ mobile phone via text or landline by voice message. For those who test positive, an independent telemedicine provider will reach out to provide critical next steps including the option to speak with a licensed physician. The test costs $119 per kit.
“Increasing access to COVID-19 testing is a priority for Walgreens and CRL’s at-home test provides a convenient way to offer testing and care when and how patients need it,” said Giovanni Monti, Senior Vice President of Healthcare Services, Walgreens Boots Alliance. “This adds to the growing list of healthcare and COVID offerings available through Walgreens Find Care to help our communities access care when and how they need it.”
Walgreens COVID-19 Testing And Pixel by Labcorp
Pixel by Labcorp will be Walgreens first over-the-counter COVID-19 testing option available for purchase in-store and is aimed to address stores that do not currently have testing available on-site. This builds upon Walgreens and Labcorp’s recent announcement of Pixel by Labcorp COVID-19 PCR Test Home Collection Kit availability on Walgreens Find Care, a digital health platform available on the Walgreens app and Walgreens.com.
“Increasing access to COVID-19 testing continues to be a priority for Walgreens. Working with Labcorp, we can now offer testing solutions at a majority of Walgreens locations nationwide,” said John Standley, president, Walgreens. “This is another example of the power of innovative collaboration to drive greater access to care and products, and we look forward to continuing to work with Labcorp to provide health products and services to our communities.”
“Labcorp is pleased to extend our strategic collaboration with Walgreens to now include over-the-counter sale of Pixel by Labcorp COVID-19 PCR Test Home Collection Kit,” said Brian Caveney, M.D., chief medical officer and president, Labcorp Diagnostics. “This is yet another convenient way for consumers to learn if they are infected with COVID-19, which can help communities continue the fight against this global pandemic.”
