Wisconsin officials remind residents of COVID-19 testing options

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - Governor Tony Evers and the Department of Health Services (DHS) is reminding Wisconsin residents Tuesday of the importance of COVID-19 testing, as well as the the various testing programs that are available to Wisconsinites.

According to DHS, programs such as community testing sites, K-12 testing programs, long-term care facilities and pharmacies across the state are continuing to distribute free at-home testing supplies. Additionally, the federal government’s program to distribute four free tests to every American household opened on Tuesday.

“Wisconsin has ranked among the best in the country for getting available vaccine shots in arms and we continue to increase our COVID-19 testing efforts,” Governor Evers said. “As demand for testing increases, we are continuing to provide robust testing options and support to keep Wisconsinites healthy and safe while working increase testing capacity with public and private partners across the state.”

As the Omicron variant spreads, DHS says testing remains critical in stopping the spread of the virus. They are urging Local and Tribal Health Departments, health care providers and other eligible organizations to apply for the community testing support program, a program that supports organizations in offering local, convenient COVID-19 testing.

“Testing remains a critical tool during this COVID-19 surge,” DHS Deputy Secretary Deb Standridge said. “Thanks to our partners across the state, including local and tribal health departments, Wisconsin National Guard members, health care providers, pharmacies, and organizations across the state, there are several options for Wisconsinites to get tested.”

According to DHS, in 2021, 10.9 million COVID-19 tests were administered in the state. Last month, almost ten times the number of tests were administered per day in the state than were administered in July 2021.

If you need a COVID-19 test, DHS recommends the following options:

Contact a free community testing site to see if an appointment or registration is needed.
Check if your local pharmacy participates in DHS’ community testing program.
Check to see if your workplace offers testing.
Contact your doctor and ask if your health care clinic provides testing.
See if your child attends a school that participates in DHS’ K-12 testing. Students, faculty, staff, and in some cases family members in participating schools may be tested at the school for free.
See if your child attends a child care program that has access to DHS testing.
Request a free at-home collection kit. The kit will be mailed to you, and you can mail your collected sample in for a laboratory result.