WASHINGTON DC – March 15, 2022 – The ‘Test-to-Treat’ Program is a new federal initiative so that Americans will be able to rapidly access COVID-19 treatments at the point-of-testing service. It will be administered by hundreds of pharmacy-based clinics, federally qualified community health centers, and long-term care facilities across the country. People who test positive for COVID-19 will be assessed by a qualified health care provider for immediate treatment with antiviral pills. Treatment with these new therapeutics can reduce the risk of developing severe illness, hospitalization, and death for persons with mild symptoms within days of onset.
The goal is to remove barriers to care that have historically existed for at-risk people with poor health care access. This allows for testing, assessment, prescription, and treatment to take place at one convenient location. The plan began on March 7, 2022. The testing does not have to take place at the Test-to-Treat site. Positive at-home COVID tests qualify along with assessment to receive treatment.
At the March 15 Buncombe County Commissioners’ Briefing, Public Health Director, Stacie Saunders, said that the program “is essentially building a one-stop shop.” There are 77 federal pharmacy partner locations in North Carolina including three CVS pharmacies in Buncombe County. They are located at 612 Merrimon Ave and 11 River Ridge Dr in Asheville and at 121 Monticello Rd in Weaverville. Local federally qualified community health centers, and long-term care facilities are expected to join in the coming weeks.
The federal ’Test to Treat’ site locator is being developed and will be available later this month. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services treatment locator will also have the “Test-to-Treat” locations.
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Contact: Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, healthyasheville@ashevillefm.org
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