DOTHAN, Ala. 0 CVS said Monday it was rolling out three different over-the-counter COVID-19 tests for at-home use, including two that offer results in 15 minutes.
The pharmacy chain said it will sell the FDA-approved tests in stores and online without a prescription, though it warned the retail options won’t be covered by insurance.
The Ellume COVID-19 Home Test from Australian diagnostic test maker Ellume will cost $38.99 and deliver results in 15 minutes through a free app downloaded on a smartphone, the company said.
The Ellume kit, touted as the first fully-at-home rapid test to get an emergency use authorization from U.S. regulators, is rolling out in Rhode Island and Massachusetts this week with “increasing availability” on CVS.com and most CVS Pharmacy locations by the end of May, the chain said.
The Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Self Test will cost $23.99 for a box that contains two tests. Designed for surveillance and frequent use, the tests return results in 15 minutes and should be administered twice over three days with at least 36 hours between tests, CVS said.
The Pixel home collection kit from Labcorp was selling for $119 on CVS’s website Monday. The PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test is the same technology used in doctor offices and typically returns results in one to two days. Each test includes a short nasal swab and ships to Labcorp with the pre-paid return pack.
The Pixel kit was selling in select stores in Alabama, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut as of Monday, CVS said.
The three over-the-counter tests are not meant to diagnose acute COVID-19 infection or test the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccination, the company cautioned.
Rival chain Walgreens has been offering Labcorp’s test kits since earlier this month. It was selling the Pixel for $124.99 on the Walgreens website Monday.
CVS is the first drug retailer to offer Ellume’s tests, it said.
