WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Health  and the American Lung Association have launched a campaign at CVS Pharmacy locations to support the Lung Association’s COVID-19 Action Initiative, which will expand COVID-19 research and fund the development of new vaccines, detection tests and treatment to defend against future respiratory viruses.

“Our customers have consistently responded with support and enthusiasm for our nonprofit relationships, and we certainly expect that to be the case with an organization whose work has never been more important,” said Eileen Howard Boone, senior vice president of corporate social responsibility and philanthropy and chief sustainability officer for CVS Health. “This campaign will be available both in-store and online, giving customers a number of ways to get involved and support the critical efforts of the American Lung Association – an organization with which we’ve worked for a long time.”

The Lung Association’s COVID-19 Action Initiative funding will be used to expand its ongoing respiratory research program within the current studies of the Airways Clinical Research Centers Network as well as to create new research awards and grants to advance knowledge around this new lung disease and its terrible effects. The funding will also help enhance critical public health measures through education and advocacy and establish an advanced network of government, private industry and public health organizations to try to prevent future respiratory virus pandemics through access to vaccines and antivirals.

“For the more than 36 million people in the U.S. who live with a lung disease, as well as communities of color who are more vulnerable to complications from COVID-19, it is especially critical that we focus on reducing the spread and impact of deadly respiratory viruses,” said Harold Wimmer, president and chief executive officer of American Lung Association. “CVS Health has been a committed partner to the American Lung Association, helping us address the most pressing lung health issues. This year is no different, as CVS Health has stepped forward as our lead sponsor for our COVID-19 Action Initiative.”

The in-store fundraising campaign, which launched Sunday, June 21, will run at approximately 9,900 CVS Pharmacy locations nationwide through Saturday, July 18. Throughout these four weeks, customers can donate to the American Lung Association’s COVID-19 Action Initiative at the register and online at Lung.org/cvs.

“The technology updates we’ve made to allow contactless giving to this campaign at the point-of-sale complement many other innovations we’ve put in place during this pandemic to making shopping easier for our CVS Pharmacy customers,” said Ryan Rumbarger, senior vice president of retail store operations for CVS Pharmacy.

As the oldest voluntary health organization in the country, the American Lung Association said it pioneered the model of using education, advocacy and research to virtually eradicate tuberculosis in the United States. The organization said it is using those same principles to help address the pandemic by meeting the challenges of COVID-19 and future respiratory viruses.