Gov. Evers Announces the Launch of Community Testing Events

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today announced that the State Emergency Operations Center, Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), Wisconsin Emergency Management, and Wisconsin National Guard are working with local health departments to create community testing events in places with a known lack of access to testing or additional testing is needed because of high rates of COVID-19.

“Taking our lab capacity from the ability to perform zero COVID-19 tests in early March to more than 11,000 tests per day now is one of our success stories here in Wisconsin,” said Gov. Evers. “But capacity is not the same as utilization, so we have some work to do to ensure everyone who needs a test is getting one and to understand the full scope of this disease around Wisconsin. The state has been working hard to support local health departments throughout this crisis and we’re pleased to announce that, starting today, our partnership will expand with the creation of community testing events throughout the state.”

Today, Friday, May 1, 2020, the Wisconsin National Guard will be working to assist with testing in the following community:

Buffalo and Pepin County: Drive-thru testing

Buffalo County Highway Shop
S1672 WI-37
Alma, WI 54610
11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Any Wisconsin resident experiencing COVID-19 symptoms is welcome at this site

Get additional information

Wisconsin is increasing access to testing, and anyone with symptoms should contact their health care provider and ask to be tested. If you live in or around Buffalo or Pepin County and are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, we urge you to go get tested today at the community testing event in Alma.

Additional community testing sites will be announced in the coming days.

Symptoms of COVD-19 include:

• Fever, defined as a measured temperature greater than 100.4°F
• Subjective fever, for example if a person feels unusually warm to the touch, or reports sensations similar to previous experiences of fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Sore throat
• Headache
• Chills or rigors (repetitive shaking chills)
• Muscle aches (myalgia)
• New loss of taste or smell

Wisconsin’s goal, and the key to turning the dial through the Badger Bounce Back Plan, is being able to test everyone who has symptoms of COVID-19, conduct contact tracing, and get those who have been exposed to the virus in quarantine to thwart the spread.

For up-to-date information about Wisconsin’s COVID-19 response, visit the DHS COVID-19 webpage. We encourage you to follow @DHSWI on Facebook, Twitter, or dhs.wi on Instagram for more information on  COVID-19.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

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