Drive-Thru Testing For Coronavirus Coming To Dearborn

DEARBORN, MI — Drive-thru testing for the new coronavirus is coming to Dearborn following an agreement between the state and CVS Health, officials announced Tuesday.

The announcement is part of an ongoing effort to expand testing for the virus statewide. On Monday, Detroit became the first city in the state to offer drive-thru testing to residents without a prescription or referral from a doctor.

“We need COVID-19 testing now more than ever to get an accurate count of infections to help us continue flattening the curve of this unprecedented pandemic in every corner of our state,” Governor Gretchen Whitmer said Tuesday. “Our partnership with CVS Health is a significant step toward speeding up Michigan’s recovery and getting Michiganders back to a sense of normalcy in their daily lives.”

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Testing will be conducted in the parking lot of the Henry Ford Centennial Library, 16301 Michigan Ave., at no cost to eligible Michiganders. A doctor's referral is not required.

Dearborn has reported 521 cases of the coronavirus, as well as 45 deaths, according to information provided by the Wayne County Health Department. Officials said the Dearborn site can test between 500-750 residents daily.

Drive-thru testing is available by appointment seven days a week. Residents are required to be pre-screened and register for a test here.

Health care providers will be on-site to oversee testing. Testing will use the new Abbot ID NOW™ coronavirus test, which recently received emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the fastest detection of the virus, officials said. The state is also providing security, personal protective equipment supplies for the team administering the tests and on-the-ground logistics.

Patients are required to stay in their vehicles at the testing site. The testing process takes about 30 minutes from the collection of the swab to the delivery of results.

“CVS Health is uniquely positioned to play a vital role in helping support both local communities and the overall health care system in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Troyen A. Brennan, M.D., M.P.H, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of CVS Health. “Our ability to help coordinate the availability of rapid COVID-19 testing for Michigan residents will bolster the state’s efforts to manage the spread of the virus and provide people with on-the-spot test results.”