Walmart to offer self-swab coronavirus tests at two South Jersey locations

Two Walmart stores in Burlington County will begin offering self-swab COVID-19 tests on Friday.

The coronavirus tests will be distributed as part of a drive-thru set up in the parking lots of the Walmarts located in Burlington and Mount Laurel from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, weather permitting. Testing will not be available inside the stores. 

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The tests are being provided via a partnership with Quest Diagnostics, Gov. Phil Murphy said. 

First responders, health care providers, people with COVID-19 symptoms, and those in high-risk groups without symptoms will be prioritized for testing, Murphy said. Adults who are eligible to get tested must make an appointment with Quest.

Anyone being tested must wear a face covering and remain in their vehicle. After administering the nasal swab, people are required to drop the sealed sample in a container as they exit the drive-thru. Trained medical volunteers will supervise the process to ensure that the test is performed correctly.

Testing is not available for walk-ups. 

Walmart pharmacists and associates also will be staffing the testing sites. Quest will process the testing samples and share results with those who have been tested. Results are expected within a few days.

Self-administered COVID-19 tests also will be available at five other Walmart locations across Central and North Jersey.

“A strong testing program is one of the foundational principles for New Jersey’s road back to restart and recovery,” Murphy said. “I am incredibly grateful for our partnership with Walmart and Quest Diagnostics to expand our testing capacity and bring these critical testing resources into our communities to increase access for our residents.”

New Jersey is attempting to double its COVID-19 testing capacity by the end of the month.

State officials reported an additional 1,670 confirmed coronavirus cases on Wednesday, bringing the state’s total to 150,399. There were another 168 fatalities, bringing the total number of deaths to 10,747.

South Jersey has had 16,479 coronavirus cases and 910 deaths.