Run by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Test to Treat Program provides antiviral medications to hundreds of pharmacies and federally qualified community health centers in 35 states, including Connecticut.
A CVS spokesperson said Monday that all 1,200 of its “minute clinic” locations nationwide will have the antivirals on hand as part of the test-to-treat program. According to the CVS website, the chain has about 25 such locations across Connecticut, though none in the state’s four largest cities (Bridgeport, Stamford, New Haven and Hartford).
Under the recently announced initiative, known as “
test to treat,” patients with COVID-19 symptoms may get tested at a select pharmacy, and, if they test positive, walk out with free and highly effective oral treatments.
The federal government has already begun disbursing the treatments, which are expected to arrive in stores over the coming days.
Here in Connecticut, it might not be easy to get the antiviral medications. Here’s why: The antivirals, will be available only at pharmacies with clinics on-site, which account for a fraction of the total across Connecticut.
While some — but not nearly all — CVS stores will carry the treatments, Walgreens locations will not, nor will smaller independent pharmacies.