Kroger Health Expands COVID-19 Testing to All Clinic Locations

Kroger Health, the healthcare division of Cincinnati-based The Kroger Co., has expanded its COVID-19 testing offerings for both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients to all of its 220 clinic locations, which have the capability to test up to 5,000 patients per day.

The expansion comes on the heels of the company's launch of COVIDCare Plus, an employer-focused testing program, and ahead of flu season, during which many health officials anticipate an increased need for COVID-19 testing.

"COVID-19 and the flu share many of the same symptoms, which could cause added confusion and concern for Americans of all ages," said Marc R. Watkins, Kroger Health's chief medical officer. "Kroger Health is ramping up our comprehensive testing efforts to provide our communities with the resources they need stay healthy and flatten the curve."

Tests are by appointment only, and patients can access Kroger Health's free screening tool to determine if testing is appropriate for them before scheduling an appointment at krogerhealth.com/clinictesting.

Once a patient schedules an appointment, a licensed practitioner will contact them via telehealth or by phone. Clinic locations will offer designated parking for patients, and most COVID-19 sample collections can be self-administered under the observation of a Kroger Health professional while they remain in their vehicles.

"We are proud of our drive-thru testing program that provided a quick, interim testing solution, and now we are focused on building testing capability that serves more Americans on an ongoing basis," said Colleen Lindholz, president of Kroger Health. "These longer-term COVID-19 testing solutions include leveraging our clinic locations and our FDA-authorized COVID-19 Test Home Collection Kit so we can reach more people."

Since April, Kroger Health has facilitated more than 150,000 COVID-19 tests across 19 states at drive-thru and walk-up testing locations.

Kroger Health clinics, called The Little Clinic, are available in Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia