Walgreens offers testing for patients ages 3+. Minors, under age 18, getting tested must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Minors may be assisted by their parent or legal guardian during the sample self-collection process.

1. To make an appointment, choose a location and time for your test.

2. Enter patient information and complete a quick questionnaire.
   • Arrive at the Walgreens pharmacy and follow the instructions provided in your confirmation email.
3. The pharmacy team member will prepare the test(s) and provide instructions on how the COVID-19 and/or flu test(s) will be performed.
4. All test results will be sent via email. If you received a rapid test, you may wait to receive your test results directly from the pharmacy team member.^α

You will be asked to bring:

• Copy of your confirmation email (digital accepted)
• Valid state ID or driver’s license
• Insurance card or voucher, if applicable

For patients ages 3–17, the parent or legal guardian who provided consent to test the patient will be asked to show a copy of the appointment confirmation email, a valid state ID or driver’s license, and insurance card or voucher.

Yes, we offer testing for ages 3+ at Walgreens locations nationwide. Visit our testing page to schedule a test at your preferred location.

Uninsured patients and Veterans who are symptomatic or recently exposed to COVID-19 may be eligible under a federal program to receive a no-cost rapid COVID-19 and flu combination test.

Insured patients should contact their insurance provider before receiving any testing services at Walgreens to confirm coverage and understand their plan and benefits. If their health plan does not offer testing benefits at Walgreens, the patient will be responsible for covering any out-of-pocket costs for testing. Testing services may be covered by their HSA, FSA or HRA.

Get tested immediately if you have symptoms of COVID-19. If you do not have symptoms, wait 5 full days after exposure before getting tested.

You’re most likely to get an accurate result if symptoms are present or at least a few days after exposure because that gives the body enough time to develop a viral load that can be detected by a test. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends testing immediately when symptoms develop, or waiting at least 5 days after exposure if you aren’t showing symptoms.

COVID-19 tests indicate if you have an infection at the time of the test. Antigen or Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAATs) are viral tests, both of which Walgreens offers (they’re called “viral” tests because they detect viral infection). Additional tests are needed to determine which variant caused an infection, but these typically are not authorized for patient use. For more information on variants, visit the CDCthe CDC page on COVID-19 variants. Opens in a new tab..

After a positive test result, you may continue to test positive for some time. You may continue to test positive on antigen tests for several weeks after your initial positive test. You may continue to test positive on rapid tests for up to 90 days.

It is also possible to get reinfected within 90 days, which can make it hard to know if a positive test indicates a new infection. Consult a healthcare provider if you have worsening symptoms or have any questions or concerns.

For more information, visit the CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/testing.html Opens in a new tab.

Symptoms of both flu and COVID-19 are similar, including but not limited to:

• Aches
• Fever
• Coughing
• Sore Throat
• Fatigue

Testing helps determine which condition is causing your symptoms. This allows a Walgreens pharmacist to obtain the information they need to help you more quickly manage symptoms and potentially receive treatment to help keep you from becoming more ill.

The flu and COVID-19 share many similar symptoms, which can make it difficult to determine which virus may be causing your symptoms. Testing results allow a pharmacist to properly support the patient by advising on the appropriate symptom management or treatment options, if available.

Patients can receive a combination COVID-19 and flu rapid test for $24.99. Insurance coverage for flu and COVID-19 testing may vary depending on your insurance provider and plan.³ Before receiving any testing services at Walgreens, please contact your insurance provider to understand your benefits. Uninsured patients and Veterans who are symptomatic or recently exposed to COVID-19 may be eligible under a federal program to receive a no-cost rapid COVID-19 and flu combination test.

The patient is responsible for covering any out-of-pocket costs not covered by their insurance provider. Testing services at Walgreens may be covered by your HSA, FSA or HRA.

Choose your pickup store. Note, test availability may vary by store.

1. Select your quantity. You can choose 2, 4, 6 or 8 tests.
2. Enter the patient information and complete a quick questionnaire.
3. Enter your insurance information, and we'll submit a claim on your behalf to see if your insurance provider offers coverage. If the tests are not covered by insurance, and the patient still wishes to purchase, the patient may be responsible for the full cost, up to $23.99 per test kit (each test kit contains 2 tests).**
4. When your order is ready, we'll contact you with detailed pickup instructions.

Learn more about no-cost COVID-19 test kits herepick a store.

We offer several types of at-home COVID-19 tests for purchase online or at your local Walgreens.

1. Walgreens brand
2. BinaxNOW
3. FaStep Antigen Pen
4. Flowflex
5. Genabio
6. Lucira

Stay up to dateon your COVID-19 vaccine. opens in a new tab on your COVID-19 vaccines—and get tested before and after traveling, along with taking everyday precautions—can help reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 on planes, in airports, at destinations, and back home. Please check with your airline and destination for local guidance and requirements. To travel with confidence, follow the latest CDC guidance on travel. opens in a new tab.

Testing can be helpful even when you don’t have symptoms or a recent exposure to COVID-19, such as before an event or visiting someone at higher risk. Test as close to the time of the event as possible (at least within 1-2 days) to help you make informed decisions about your health and your risk of spreading COVID-19 to others. If you use an antigen test, follow recommendations for repeat testing to be confident in a negative result. Additionally, some places may test people without symptoms or a recent exposure to help keep COVID-19 from spreading to others, especially those who are at higher risk for severe illness opens in a new tab.

Please note: Testing for travel is no longer covered by federal testing criteria. You may be required to pay for your test if your insurance plan does not cover it. Please contact your insurance provider for coverage information.

After testing, you’ll receive an email that contains a secure link to your test results. If you’ve tested within the last 30 days and need help accessing your test result records, call the store where you received your COVID-19 or flu test. If it’s been longer than 30 days, please call the Walgreens Custodian of Records at 217-554-8949.

There are three options for saving your results:

• Take a screenshot
• Download the PDF to your device
• Scan the QR code to save your results to a Smart Health Card-compatible app, such as CommonPass or CommonHealth.

Test results turnaround times will vary based on location and type of test. You will be notified of the results by email.

• PCR Test results are typically available within 48 hours. ^α
• Rapid Test results are available in under an hour.
• Rapid Antigen Test results are available in under an hour.

In accordance with CDC guidance, if you test positive for a respiratory virus such as COVID-19, it is recommended that, if able, stay home and away from others if you have symptoms and resume normal activities 24 hours after symptoms improve and you are fever free. Other ways to help keep you and others safe include practice good hygiene, improve ventilation, physical distancing, wear a mask around others, monitor symptoms if you have them, and seek medical care as needed or in case of a medical emergency. For more information on updated CDC guidance, please visit: Respiratory Virus Guidanceopens in a new tab.

You may choose to report negative or positive tests for yourself or any member of your family to your provider and at MakeMyTestCount.org. Your answers are anonymous, secure and cannot be traced back to you.

For more information, visit MakeMyTestCount.org.

At-home COVID-19 tests allow us to quickly and easily find out whether we’re infected with the virus. But if we don’t share our test results, the people working to keep us safe from this disease won’t know how fast the virus is spreading, or where surges are happening. Without that information, they can’t do the work they need to do to keep us and our communities safe.

The data from MakeMyTestCount.org can help public health teams do that work—while keeping your personal test results private and anonymous. When you share your result, you’re helping to keep yourself and your community safe from COVID-19, both now and in the future. For more information, visit MakeMyTestCount.org.

If you test positive for COVID-19, you may complete a free initial screening opens in a new tab to determine potential eligibility for treatment. A Walgreens pharmacist will contact you to perform an assessment and determine if you are eligible to receive oral antiviral treatment. The assessment is $44.99, regardless of eligibility for treatment. In select states, a pharmacist is also available to assess a patient and determine if oral antiviral treatment is appropriate.

To be eligible for flu treatment, you must take a rapid flu test at Walgreens. If the patient tests positive, they can complete a clinical assessment with a pharmacist to determine eligibility for antiviral prescription. Pharmacist assessment is not available for Medicaid patients at this time.

Flu antiviral treatment must be started within 48 hours of symptoms. A Walgreens pharmacist can also recommend over-the-counter relief to treat symptoms.

Paxlovid™ (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir) opens in a new tab is an oral antiviral treatment regimen for people who recently tested positive for COVID-19, are symptomatic and are high risk for severe disease and/or hospitalization. This treatment works by targeting a specific part of the COVID-19 virus to stop it from multiplying in the body, which reduces the amount of virus in your body. It is proven to help prevent severe illness and death. For more information, visit: paxlovid.pfizerpro.com opens in a new tab

Paxlovid is generally well-tolerated. Possible side effects include:

• Altered or impaired taste
• Diarrhea
• Increased blood pressure
• Muscle pain
• Nausea

Patients should stop taking Paxlovid and contact a primary healthcare provider immediately if they experience allergic reactions such as:

• Hives
• Trouble swallowing or breathing
• Swelling of the mouth, lips, or face
• Tightness in the throat
• Unusual hoarseness in voice
• A skin rash

Not everyone who meets initial screening requirements will get a Paxlovid prescription. A clinical assessment with a healthcare professional is required. At Walgreens, this assessment will be conducted over the phone with a pharmacist. To qualify for the assessment, patients must:

• Be at least 12 years old and weigh at least 88 pounds (40 kilograms)
• Have recently tested positive for COVID-19
• Have COVID-19 symptoms that began within the last 5 days
• Have one or more risk factors for developing severe disease
• Have lab results within the past 12 months––including kidney and liver function

Patients who meet initial screening requirements will still need to meet with a healthcare professional. At Walgreens, this will be a Walgreens pharmacist, to determine if Paxlovid is an appropriate treatment (based on specific FDA eligibility criteria and personal health history). Regardless if Paxlovid is prescribed, the assessment cost is $44.99 and will be charged during the over-the-phone pharmacist assessment. Patient insurance, flexible spending account (FSA) funds or healthcare spending account (HSA) funds may be used to cover this cost. Patients are encouraged to check with their insurance provider or benefit plan to see if the cost is covered.

If you have Medicare, Medicaid or are uninsured, you may be eligible to receive Paxlovid at no cost through PAXCESS TM Patient Assistance program.⁴ To enroll:

1. Visit PAXCESSPatientPortal.com opens in a new tab or call 877-219-7225.

2. Complete the online questionnaire.
3. If eligible, bring billing information to the pharmacy

Patients with private health insurance may be eligible to get their Paxlovid prescription for as low as $0 with the PAXCESS^™ Co-Pay Savings Program opens in a new tab⁵. Walgreens will first bill your insurance and then confirm potential co-pay amount. You may apply for PAXCESS Co-Pay Savings Program to cover any out-of-pocket costs. To check eligibility:

1. Enroll in the Co-Pay Savings Program to download an activated card
2. Activate your co-pay card to unlock your savings
3. Complete a rebate form to see if you can get reimbursed for your prescription

Treatment with antiviral medications is recommended for eligible patients. To be eligible for flu treatment, you must take a rapid flu test at Walgreens. If the patient tests positive, they can complete a clinical assessment with a pharmacist to determine eligibility for antiviral prescription. Pharmacist assessment is not available for Medicaid patients at this time.

Flu antiviral treatment must be started within 48 hours of symptoms. A Walgreens pharmacist can also recommend over-the-counter relief to treat symptoms.