On April 8, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued new guidance under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act authorizing licensed pharmacists to order and administer FDA-approved COVID-19 tests.

With expanding testing a critical part of both tracking the disease and responsibly reopening states, increasing access to community testing sites has become imperative and pharmacies provide a natural match for the need. 

“Giving pharmacists the authorization to order and administer COVID-19 tests to their patients means easier access to testing for Americans who need it. Pharmacists play a vital role in delivering convenient access to important public health services and information,” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar. 

“The accessibility and distribution of retail and independent community-based pharmacies make pharmacists the first point of contact with a healthcare professional for many Americans,” added HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Brett Giroir, MD.

On Saturday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order allowing the hard-hit state’s nearly 5,000 independent pharmacies to begin testing patients for COVID-19, as part of an effort to increase access to testing sites now that laboratories have increased their processing capacity.

Gov. Cuomo’s announcement followed a similar action by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday, though the criteria for the Sunshine State’s expanded testing program in community pharmacies were still being finalized. Until this week, testing in Florida has been limited to individuals over age 65 years and those who have been in close contact with a patient who tested positive or are themselves showing active symptoms.

North Dakota took the lead with enabling COVID-19 testing by pharmacists, however. Gov. Doug Burgum signed an executive order on March 21 giving community pharmacists the authority to administer the test, the Minot Daily News reported.
In addition to these three states, Colorado, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin have extended emergency testing authority to independent pharmacies.

Other states are likely to follow suit in the coming weeks.

If you’re in one of the states that allows testing at independent pharmacies, how do you take proper precautions?

The CDC recommends that pharmacies undertaking testing for the novel coronavirus establish open lines of communication with state and local public health officials to understand who meets the current criteria for testing and stay informed as those standards change over time.

The CDC notes that the process of collecting samples for testing “will likely elicit coughs or sneezes.” Pharmacy staff should be provided appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). Staff using respirators must complete a respiratory protection program in accordance with OSHA Respiratory Protection standard (29 CFR 1910.134) and demonstrate proper use of the device. 

The CDC adds that “pharmacists and pharmacy technicians should always wear a facemask while they are in the pharmacy.” Further, “cloth face coverings should NOT be worn instead of a respirator or facemask if more than source control is required.” 

During collection of the respiratory sample for testing, pharmacy staff should wear an N95 or higher-level respirator or facemask if a respirator is not available along with eye protection, gloves, and a gown. The number of staff present during collection should be kept to the minimum essential for the procedure and no visitors should be present, according to the CDC.

As stated in previous guidance, all pharmacy patients and visitors over age 2 years should wear a cloth face covering or facemask regardless of symptoms to reduce the risk of viral transmission by asymptomatic individuals. Individuals experiencing difficulty breathing or who are unconscious, incapacitated, or unable to remove a mask without help are exempted from the mask requirement.

« Click here to return to COVID-19 Update.