Rite Aid collaborates with Quest to expand COVID testing

Dawn Furnas//July 20, 2022

Secaucus-based Quest Diagnostics and Rite Aid are collaborating to provide the retailer’s customers access to more COVID-19 testing, the national pharmacy announced July 20.

Rite Aid and Bartell Drugs’ more than 2,350 stores now offer Quest tests (polymerase chain reaction or similar nucleic acid amplification test), either through their drive-thru locations or with home-testing kits from stores without drive-thrus.

Rite Aid said this collaboration doubles access to PCR testing for adults and children over 2 years old.

A Rite Aid Pharmacy at 200 N. Lasalle St. in Durham, N.C.

Make an appointment:

To take the test (either through the drive-thru or to pick up an at-home kit), customers must make an appointment online. Quest will provide results electronically through the MyQuest online portal and app.

“PCR and other molecular diagnostic tests are the gold-standard for reliable COVID-19 testing. Our relationship with Rite Aid will extend our delivery of COVID-19 testing to more communities in the United States,” Cathy Doherty, senior vice president for Quest Regional Businesses, said in a statement.

The kits come with a prepaid FedEx envelope for overnight shipping to a Quest laboratory. Rite Aid said the current turnaround time for results is one to two days, which can vary by region and demand.

“Identifying COVID-19 infection helps individuals obtain the treatment they need while helping to prevent further spread of the disease. We are proud to collaborate with Quest to make testing easily accessible for our customers by expanding to all of our stores,” Rite Aid Chief Pharmacy Officer Karen Staniforth added.

Rite Aid noted its locations also offer rapid COVID-19 tests, vaccines and boosters, and its pharmacies are able to dispense the oral medications, Paxlovid and Lagevrio (molnupiravir), for treatment of COVID-19.