CVS Health is planning to double the number of its drive-thru testing sites by mid-October, the healthcare giant announced on Thursday.
CVS intends to add more than 2,000 sites at its pharmacies in the next several weeks, bringing its total to more than 4,000 nationwide. The new locations will be opened in waves, beginning with 400 new sites opening on Friday.
CVS currently offers testing in 33 states and the District of Columbia.
RELATED: CVS Health expands COVID-19 testing to 14 states with a focus on serving minority communities
"Since opening our first test site in March, we've been able to quickly adapt to the changing landscape in order to make it easier for people in the communities we serve to access testing," said Jon Roberts, chief operating officer at CVS Health and acting president of CVS Pharmacy.
"We recognize the critical role testing plays in helping to manage the spread of the virus and are incredibly proud of how our teams have responded to this need while continuing to take care of our customers, clients and patients," Roberts said.
CVS also announced last week that it would offer testing to children aged 12 and over.
For all tests, a patient must register online to schedule to an appointment, and a minor seeking testing must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Self-swab tests are available to patients at no cost, CVS said.
CVS has invested significantly in rapidly growing its COVID-19 testing capability, and it says that test results are generally available within two to three days. It has also launched a platform called Return Ready that aims to assist employers and universities in tracking COVID-19 cases as they open back up to workers and students.