On April 8, 2020, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released its “HHS Statements on Authorizing Licensed Pharmacists to Order and Administer COVID-19 Tests” guidance. As noted in the HHS Guidance for Licensed Pharmacists, “the vast majority of Americans live close to a retail or independent community-based pharmacy. That proximity reduces travel to testing locations, which is an important mitigation measure. Pharmacists also have strong relationships with medical providers and hospitals to appropriately refer patients when necessary.”
