Newly-approved 5-minute coronavirus test machines have arrived in Tennessee

New test machines that can detect the coronavirus in as little as five minutes have come to Tennessee.

State Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey said the first shipment of these test machines was received Tuesday by the government's public health laboratory in East Nashville. Walgreens also announced it will expand use of these tests at drive-thru testing locations in seven states, including Tennessee, by the end of this week.

More details about the state's use of the speedy tests are expected on Wednesday. Walgreens has not yet identified sites in Tennessee that will use the tests but said they are planned for use in hot spots with escalating rates of COVID-19.

This point-of-care test, often called the "Abbott Test" because it is produced by Illinois company Abbott Labs, was given emergency approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last month. The test can provide positive results in as little as five minutes and negative results in 13 minutes, according to Abbott labs.

Wallgreens will also roll out these tests at locations in Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana and Texas. According to a news release, Walgreens plans to be able to test up to 3,000 people per day across these sites.

“Opening our first drive-thru testing location last month has allowed us to quickly learn and develop an efficient and scalable process, and we’re pleased to be working with Abbott to help accelerate our efforts, and to enable quick results for those being tested,"  said Walgreens President Richard Ashworth in the news release.

More:Where to get tested for coronavirus in Tennessee — and how to know if you need to

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Walgreens will dedicate space at select locations, outside of the stores, where pharmacists will oversee the test. Soon, patients will be directed to testing locations via an online assessment tool available on Walgreens.com and Walgreens mobile app.

Testing is free to people who meet criteria established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Patients will need to pre-register in advance in order to schedule an appointment for testing.

Brett Kelman contributed to this report.

Reach Natalie Neysa Alund at nalund@tennessean.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.