Pharmacies not testing for virus yet
National chains offering tests in other states, but not yet in California
Local pharmacies say there currently isn’t any scope to begin offering coronavirus tests, citing a lack of training and equipment, as well as a high-enough burden to fill prescriptions and help patients with illnesses not named COVID-19.
“We were looking into it, but we’re not doing it at this time,” said Kristin Campbell, a technician at Lima’s Pharmacy in Eureka. “We wouldn’t have the proper space to do it. It sounds like a drive-thru would be the best kind of scenario, but our parking lot is just not that big.”
John Backus, owner of Cloney’s Pharmacies (with multiple Humboldt County locations), said he would consider offering tests, but there’s no good place to start. He said it was difficult enough to find personal protective equipment, eventually buying N95 masks from a wholesaler.
“We’re busy all day long selling prescriptions,” Backus said. “We offer vaccines year-round, but this is a different animal. We would need training to be able to carry out tests.”
Robert Johnson, owner of Green’s Pharmacy in Fortuna, echoed the sentiment that beginning to offer tests would be a “cumbersome process.”
“We’ve had discussions about it, but I think it would probably be an overwhelming situation for us because we’re so busy doing
the things we do already,” Johnson said.
As part of the second phase of California’s stayat-home order, pharmacies will be allowed to begin offering COVID-19 tests. Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday said nearly 6,500 pharmacies around the state would begin testing for the virus.
National pharmacy chains, including CVS and Walgreens, have begun offering drive-thru COVID-19 tests in different states. Their websites have lists of the states where tests are available. Neither list includes California.
Representatives for CVS and Walgreens branches in Eureka confirmed they are not offering tests for the coronavirus.
Backus said he had heard of national chains beginning to offer tests, but said, in his personal opinion, that it would put pharmacy staff at risk to do so.
“They’re asking too much of their staff,” he said of national chains, “considering they don’t staff their pharmacies adequately to fill prescriptions in the first place.”