What is ‘Test to Treat’? White House unveils free COVID testing and treatment combo
What is “Test to Treat”?
A new White House initiative unveiled during the president’s State of the Union address on Tuesday, March 1 promises to make COVID-19 treatment — not just testing — more accessible than ever.
The plan calls for pharmacies, clinics and community health centers to provide antiviral pills “on the spot” to patients who test positive for the coronavirus; all at no charge.
It’s being made possible thanks to a large order of the antiviral treatment, Paxlovid, manufactured by Pfizer, President Joe Biden said.
“If you get COVID-19, the Pfizer pill reduces your chances of ending up in the hospital by 90%,” Biden said, though a White House news release clarified that the treatment has been shown to decrease risk of hospitalization and death by 89%.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration lists an 88% reduction in risk for Paxlovid.
“I have ordered more pills than anyone in the world has,” Biden said during the speech. “Pfizer is working overtime to get us a million pills this month and more than double that next month.”
The Biden administration said there will be “one-stop test to treat” sites operating across the US by March.
But just how many locations will be participating, and when they will be operational, isn’t entirely clear.
In a statement to McClatchy News, a Walmart spokesperson said Walmart Health centers in three states — Georgia, Arizona and Illinois — will be participating.
CVS pharmacies didn’t specify how many of its locations would be doing Test to Treat, but expressed its support for the initiative.
“With our MinuteClinic medical clinics and CVS Pharmacy footprint we are uniquely positioned to help support the government’s Test to Treat initiative and look forward to helping provide expanded access as additional inventory becomes available,” a spokesperson said in an email to McClatchy.
Walgreens said it is on board with Test to Treat, but isn’t able to share much beyond that at this point.
“Our pharmacists and pharmacies have played an essential role in response to COVID-19, and stand ready to further support in the timely and accessible delivery of COVID-19 treatments to patients,” a spokesperson said. “We will provide additional details regarding rollout in our stores as it becomes available.”
But the testing and treatment stops won’t just be limited to pharmacies, according to White House officials, “community health centers, Long-Term Care Facilities, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities” will be available as well.
This story was originally published March 2, 2022 at 5:29 PM with the headline "What is ‘Test to Treat’? White House unveils free COVID testing and treatment combo."