Pharmacists Granted Authority to Order and Administer COVID-19 Tests

SACRAMENTO, Calif.--()--The California Pharmacists Association is pleased to announce that Governor Gavin Newsom has removed another barrier to pharmacists' ability to help alleviate the strain on the healthcare system. His action granting California's 47,000 pharmacists the ability to order and administer COVID-19 tests in the state will help meet his objective of testing 60,000 California residents a day.

On May 12, 2020 California Governor Gavin Newsom granted pharmacists in the state the ability to order and administer Covid-19 tests. By opening doors for 47,000 pharmacists, this action hopes to alleviate the strain on the healthcare system, and make testing more widely available. According to the President of the California Pharmacists Association, Dr. Ken Thai, an estimated 90% of Americans live within 5 miles of a pharmacy. Pharmacies across the state will now have the unique opportunity to help residents who may not have had access to testing anywhere else. California is now the 32nd state in the nation to authorize pharmacists Covid-19 testing capabilities.