Centreville Walgreens To Offer Free Drive-Thru Coronavirus Tests

CENTREVILLE, VA — A Centreville Walgreens is among 15 locations across Virginia that will now offer rapid coronavirus testing as part of a partnership between the state department of health and the retail chain, officials announced Friday.

The Fairfax County Walgreens location, which is located at 13926 Lee Highway, is one of the 11 new locations that will offer rapid antigen testing through a drive-up service at no costs to residents. Prior to Friday’s announcement, only four Walgreens locations across the state were offering the free testing service.

“We are pleased to announce the expansion of this public-private partnership following a successful pilot with four Walgreens locations,” Dr. Parham Jaberi, the Virginia Department of Public Health’s public health and preparedness deputy commissioner said in a statement issued Friday. “Our continued partnership will help ensure increased access to COVID-19 testing at no cost for some of our communities that lack a fixed testing location or have higher rates of vulnerable populations.”

State health officials are encouraging residents who are experiencing symptoms of the coronavirus to use the drive-thru service as well as anyone who may have come into contact with someone who has contracted COVID-19. Those who are considered high-risk for serious illness or who are essential workers, such as educators, are also encouraged to be tested at the drive-thru site.

Pharmacists at the Walgreens offering the testing will administer the tests and will oversee the processing of results, which will be available to residents within 24 hours, state health officials said Friday. Testing will be conducted by appointment to adults and to children 3 years or older who meet screening criteria to receive testing. Appointments may be made online at www.walgreens.com/COVID19testing.

“Walgreens takes pride in offering support to our customers and communities in times of need, and we’re pleased to work in collaboration with Virginia’s health officials on their efforts to broaden access to COVID-19 testing to vulnerable populations,” Paul Blankenship, Walgreens regional vice president in Virginia, said in a statement.