Police Will Monitor City’s Covid Testing Sites

Aggressive behavior at Milwaukee’s three overcrowded COVID-19 testing sites will now require the city’s police department to be present.

The Milwaukee Health Department says there have been “multiple accounts” of drivers attempting to cut in line or cause altercations with each other and city staff while waiting in line. An undisclosed number of Milwaukee police will now assist at the sites.

Since Dec. 20, the health department has administered nearly 16,000 COVID-19 PCR tests at the Northwest Health Center, Southside Health Center and Menomonee Valley site.

“Lines have been long; uncertainty and stress can cause heightened emotions,” a release from the health department said. “If an individual deliberately cuts in line or causes an altercation, they will either be asked to move to the end of the line or leave.”

There’s been increased demand for COVID-19 testing at community sites across Wisconsin since the omicron variant surge. The federal government announced a plan to get rapid tests delivered by mail to people who want them starting this month.

Across the country and in Wisconsin, rapid at-home tests have been hard to find for months. Some pharmacy chains like Walgreens have been limiting how many testing kits customers could buy at one time.

Milwaukee Alder Marina Dimitrijevic, who chairs the city’s Public Safety and Health Committee, says more testing sites need to be opened across Milwaukee.

Dimitrijevic will introduce a plan Friday during her committee meeting to provide free COVID-19 tests to Milwaukee residents at public libraries throughout the city. She also wants to give residents a $100 incentive to get a booster shot.

“The rapid spread of COVID-19 in Milwaukee County, driven largely by the new omicron variant, is deeply concerning,” Dimitrijevic said. “I don’t know how many days we have to go with three, four hour waits.”

While Dimitrijevic’s proposal says libraries should be the distribution site, she says it’s up to the city health department to decide where the tests are. Libraries are evenly distributed throughout the city, and the program has worked in other cities like Baltimore and Washington D.C., she said.

“Every Milwaukeean that wants the at-home test kit should have one. And we should make it as easy as possible and do it as quick as possible,” Dimitrijevic said.

Milwaukee Health Commissioner Kirsten Johnson said her office has been working for weeks to get rapid tests into libraries and schools, but said it’s difficult to get enough high-quality tests.

City-wide mask mandate debate returns

Dimitrijevic, who is one of 10 candidates running for mayor of Milwaukee, is pressing Johnson to reinstate the city’s mask mandate.

“I’m not really sure what we are waiting for. I mean, with scarce hospital beds, schools being virtual, there really is no reason not to enact it today,” Dimitrijevic said.

In September, Dimitrijevic and Johnson debated the issue during a committee meeting. And on Tuesday, Johnson continued to push back on reinstating the mask mandate, saying there is no way to enforce it.

That’s two-fold.

First, Milwaukee County does not have a health department, so only the city of Milwaukee would have the mandate, unlike Dane County, which has a mask mandate in place through Feb. 1.

“That’s not to say you shouldn’t wear a mask, you absolutely should,” Johnson said.

Second, the state Legislature has already overturned the statewide mandate, so Johnson said she’s powerless.

The Common Council can call a special meeting and reinstate the mask ordinance without the health department, which Johnson suggested Dimitrijevic do.

“A health order at this point should really be done through legislative action and through an ordinance and I have been saying that all along,” Johnson said. “And I would encourage the alderwoman to proceed and pursue an ordinance for the city of Milwaukee.”

During a call with media on Tuesday, acting Mayor Cavalier Johnson said he believes people asking for a city-wide mask mandate are doing so in good faith, but he will follow the advice of health professionals.

“This is not a political decision,” Johnson said. “It’s one being done with the consultation of COVID-19 experts and health experts.”

Listen to the WPR link here. 

Milwaukee’s overcrowded COVID-19 testing sites will now be monitored by police was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.