CVS to open 1,000 coronavirus testing sites by end of May

WOONSOCKET, R.I., -- CVS Pharmacy will open up to 1,000 coronavirus testing sites across the country by the end of May, the health care company announced Thursday.

The first 50 drive-thru sites will open in locations across Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Florida and Massachusetts Friday, while the opening of the remaining hundreds will be announced within the next two weeks. No testing will take place within stores.

Thes sites will provide self-swab to individuals meeting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria. Patients must register in advance at CVS.com beginning Friday to schedule an appointment.

The company said it set a goal of processing 1.5 million tests per month. At the moment, the company has testing sites in five states and is able to process 30,000 per week.

So far, the CDC has reported more than 10 million tests.

Many health officials warn that without the proper testing capacity, the U.S. will not have enough data to make informed decisions on reopening. U.S. states are beginning to restart their economies after months of paralyzing coronavirus lockdowns, but it could take weeks until it becomes clear whether those reopenings will cause a spike in COVID-19 cases, experts said Wednesday.