INDIANAPOLIS — Both Kroger and CVS tell WRTV they're participating in the Biden Administration's Test-to-Treat Initiative, which allows qualified health care providers to prescribe antiviral pills for those at high risk for developing severe COVID-19.
Patients must meet certain medical criteria to get the prescription. High-risk patients with COVID-19 symptoms were already able to get treatments like Paxlovid and Molnupiravir with a doctor's prescription. Now, those treatments are expanding to some pharmacies.
Kroger is offering it at all 225 locations of The Little Clinic nationwide. Following a positive test and if otherwise clinically appropriate, patients can receive an antiviral prescription and get it filled at a Kroger pharmacy. The Little Clinic appointments can be made online, and “COVID Viral Test (Test Active Infection)” should be selected as the reason for the visit.
Patients can also purchase an at home Covid testing kit and schedule a virtual visit with a Kroger Health Provider. Then, if the test is positive and the patient matches the criteria, the antiviral can be prescribed and electronically sent to a participating pharmacy.
The following Central Indiana Kroger stores have The Little Clinic:
- Bloomington: 1175 S. College Mall Road
- Carmel: 1217 Rangeline Road
- Columbus: 3060 N. National Road
- Fishers: 11700 Olio Road
- Franklin: 970 N. Morton Street
- Greenwood: 5961 N. State Road 135
- Indianapolis: 8745 S. Emerson Road
- Indianapolis: 1330 W. Southport Road
- Indianapolis: 5350 E. Thompson Road
- Plainfield: 1930 E. Main Street
- Speedway/Indianapolis: 5718 Crawfordsville Road
- Westfield: 150 W. 161st Street
CVS Health tells WRTV they are also participating in Test to Treat and have started to receive the antivirals. All 1,200 MinuteClinic locations nationwide are participating.
How it works:
Patients experiencing COVID-19 symptoms can visit their local MinuteClinic or schedule an E-Clinic visit at MinuteClinic.com to be seen by a medical provider. If diagnosed with COVID-19, eligible patients can receive a prescription for an oral antiviral (OAV) from a MinuteClinic provider and have the prescription filled at the CVS Pharmacy co-located in the same store as the MinuteClinic, or at a pharmacy of their choice with inventory.
Additionally, patients experiencing COVID-19 symptoms that are not in an area where MinuteClinic is located should speak to their PCP or other medical provider about the best way to diagnose and treat their symptoms. Many CVS Pharmacy locations in Indiana without an associated MinuteClinic are also able to dispense active prescriptions from a health care provider.
Walgreens tells WRTV "Although we don’t currently have Central Indiana locations participating in Test to Treat, we continue to dispense COVID-19 antivirals for eligible patients who receive a prescription."
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