Free COVID-19 tests, on-the-spot treatment coming to pharmacies, Biden says
Americans will soon be able to get tested and treated for COVID-19 in the same location, President Joe Biden said Tuesday, as he previewed new steps his administration is taking to end the global coronavirus pandemic.
Later this month, individuals who test positive at participating pharmacies and community health centers across the country will be eligible for free antiviral pills.
“People can get tested in the pharmacy, and if they prove positive, receive the antiviral pills on the spot at no cost,” Biden announced at his State of the Union speech.
Biden said the U.S. should receive an initial shipment of 1 million Pfizer treatment pills in March and “more than double that” in April, easing the way for his administration to offer free coronavirus therapies to individuals who test positive.
A White House official said that “hundreds of sites” would be opening at CVS, Walgreens and Kroger locations nationwide, with additional sites to come. The administration also plans to send antiviral pills to nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
The official said that Pfizer is speeding up its delivery of the antiviral pills that were found to significantly reduce the likelihood of death and hospitalization for adults who contract COVID-19. The U.S. previously announced that it had purchased 20 million treatment courses from the company.
The federal government aims to “minimize the time between a positive test result and receiving an effective COVID-19 treatment, including antiviral pills and monoclonal antibodies” through the new initiative, the official said.
Americans will also be able to sign up for more at-home tests at no charge through the federal website, Biden said. Households will be able to request an additional four tests beginning next week at covidtests.org, the White House said.
Biden said in his remarks that the country is “moving forward safely” back to “more normal routines” as COVID cases severely decline.
“We’re leaving no one behind or ignoring anyone’s needs as we move forward,” he said.
This story was originally published March 1, 2022 at 11:48 PM with the headline "Free COVID-19 tests, on-the-spot treatment coming to pharmacies, Biden says."
