Some CVS Pharmacy COVID-19 testing sites see ‘temporary closure’
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — I-Team 8 found that some CVS Pharmacy locations where COVID-19 testing has been advertised are not actually providing testing, and the retail chain now says it’s corrected the “error.”
A News 8 employee scheduled a COVID test through the CVS Pharmacy website. The appointment was confirmed, and the employee was given several reminders. However, when the employee showed up to get the COVID test, the pharmacist there had said they hadn’t provided “COVID tests in months.”
I-Team 8 found it’s also happened at other locations around Indianapolis. I-Team 8 went to the CVS Pharmacy at 4401 E. 10th St., which is between North Sherman Drive and Emerson Avenue on the east side. The pharmacist there told her that she “didn’t know why people were being sent to this location” and that they have “no way to do” the test.
The News 8 employee eventually received a text from CVS an hour after her appointment was scheduled; the text said the appointment was “cancelled” due to “a temporary closure.”
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The News 8 employee had first gone to the Indiana State Health Department’s website to see testing sites before being redirected to the CVS website for scheduling.
I-Team 8 asked the state health department if it had any plans to take down locations that were not actually providing testing off the site. They sent a statement.
“We are unaware of any plans by CVS to halt testing at all of its locations, and CVS continues to advertise the availability of testing on its website. If an individual store is no longer offering testing on a permanent basis, we ask that they contact us so that we can remove them from the testing map.”
Indiana State Department of Health in response to I-Team 8
I-Team 8 also followed up with CVS to ask if it is seeing this problem at other locations and if staffing was an issue. CVS gave I-Team 8 a statement.
“We currently offer COVID-19 testing at nearly 5,000 locations across the country, including more than 30 throughout greater Indianapolis. We apologize for the error in the locations that were listed and it’s been updated our scheduler accordingly. We also offer four home testing products for sale in our stores as a convenient alternative.”
CVS Pharmacy statement to I-Team 8
The state health department says demand for COVID testing remained high on Monday. The state will offer free testing starting Tuesday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The clinics will be held in the IndyCar parking lot at 4551 W. 16th St. in Speedway across from Gate 2. The two-dose Pfizer vaccine and single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be offered. Vaccinations and testing will be offered from noon-8 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday through Oct. 30.