MADISON, Wis. – Wisconsin National Guard specimen collection teams continue supporting local COVID-19 testing efforts this week as they operate a number of regional community-based testing sites. The Wisconsin National Guard has supported the state’s COVID-19 response since Mar. 12, 2020.

Teams have collected a cumulative total of over one million specimens since April 2020 at community-based testing sites and institutional-based testing missions. The Wisconsin National Guard’s collection activities support the Wisconsin Department of Health Service’s efforts to expand COVID-19 testing throughout the entire state.

The teams, which are tailorable to meet the needs of a specific facility or community, are dispatched from a larger task force of several hundred Citizen Soldiers and Airmen when they are requested by local health departments. They have established mobile testing sites since April 2020 at locations ranging from correctional facilities, health clinics and institutional facilities, to private businesses, senior-living facilities, and community-based testing sites.

Most community-based testing sites across the state are conducted on a regularly scheduled basis at the request of local health departments. All visitors seeking a test are urged to contact their local health department for more information about a particular testing day.

Those seeking a test at a Wisconsin National Guard community-based specimen collection site are urged to register online in advance using the Dynamics Testing and Registration Application (DTRA) program, which is also known as COVID Connect.

After collecting the specimens at each site, the test kits are sent to a lab for analysis, and individual citizens receive their results via an email or a phone call within three-to-seven days following the test.

Wisconsin National Guard specimen collection sites operating the week of Mar. 29-Apr. 4 are listed below. Additional information on these testing sites and others is available at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website.

  • Adams County: A team conducts a community-based testing site Apr. 5, Apr. 19, May 3 and May 17 at the Adams County Highway Department in Adams and has collected 12 specimens since Mar. 22.
  • Bayfield County: A community-based testing site operates in Iron River Mar. 19, Apr. 2, Apr. 16, Apr. 30, May 21 and May 28 and has gathered 17 specimens since Mar. 19.
  • Crawford County: Gays Mills hosts a community-based testing site Mar. 30, Apr. 27 and May 25.
  • Dodge County: A community-based testing site operates each Monday in Beaver Dam through May 24. The site has collected nearly 200 specimens since Mar. 15.
  • Grant County: Lancaster hosts a community-based testing site each Tuesday through May 25 and has collected nearly 75 specimens since Mar. 16.
  • Jackson County: One team operates a community-based testing site each Wednesday through May. 26 in Black River Falls and has collected nearly 20 specimens since Mar. 17.
  • Jefferson County: One team conducts a community-based testing site each Monday through May 24 in Jefferson and has collected nearly 100 specimens since Mar. 15.
  • Juneau County: Mauston hosts a community-based testing site Mar. 29, Apr. 12, Apr. 26, May 10 and May 24; it has gathered nearly 20 specimens since Mar. 15.
  • La Crosse County: La Crosse hosts a community-based testing site each Monday through May 24 and has gathered nearly 90 specimens since Mar. 15. West Salem operates a second community-based site Apr. 3, Apr. 17, May 1, May 15 and May 29 and has collected nearly 30 specimens since Mar. 20. Holmen hosts a third site each Wednesday through May 26 and has gathered nearly 100 specimens since Mar. 17.
  • Milwaukee County: A Wisconsin National Guard specimen collection team operates a community-based testing site in South Milwaukee at 1525 Tenth Ave. The site is open each Tuesday, Friday and Saturday through Mar. 30 and has gathered nearly 8,200 specimens since Dec. 11.
  • Oneida County: A community-based testing site operates each Tuesday through May 25 in Rhinelander and has gathered nearly 40 specimens since Mar. 16.
  • Outagamie County: A team conducts a community-based specimen collection site each Wednesday, Thursday and Friday through May 28 in Appleton.
  • Pierce County: A team operates a community-based specimen collection site in Ellsworth each Monday until May 24 and has gathered nearly 40 specimens since Mar. 15.
  • Portage County: Stevens Point hosts a community-based testing site each Monday through Apr. 26 and has collected over 10 specimens since Mar. 15.
  • Racine County: A community-based testing site operates at Festival Hall in Racine each Monday through May 24 and has collected nearly 50 specimens since Mar. 15.
  • Rock County: A team conducts a community-based specimen collection site each Wednesday and Thursday at Blackhawk Technical College through May 27 and has gathered nearly 240 specimens since. Mar. 11.
  • Sawyer County: Winter hosts a community-based testing site each Wednesday through May 26.
  • Shawano County: A team operates a community-based site for the Stockbridge-Munsee Nation in Bowler each Tuesday and Wednesday through May 26 and had gathered nearly 250 specimens since Mar. 16.
  • Taylor County: Medford hosts a community-based specimen collection site Apr. 1, Apr. 15, Apr. 29, May 13 and May 27 and has gathered nearly ten specimens since Mar. 18.
  • Vernon County: A team operates a community-based testing site Apr. 6, Apr. 20, May 4 and May 18 in Viroqua and has gathered nearly 50 specimens since Mar. 23.
  • Walworth County: A team conducts a community-based testing site each Tuesday through May 25 at the Walworth County Fairgrounds and has collected over 50 specimens since Mar. 17.
  • Winnebago County: One team operates a community-based testing site Tuesday through Friday through May 28 at the Sunnyview Expo Center in Oshkosh and has collected over 800 specimens since Mar. 11.

As of Mar. 29, Wisconsin National Guard teams have collected 1,048,576 specimens statewide.

Several dozen troops since late December are assisting the Wisconsin Department of Health Services with managing COVID-19 vaccine inventory at undisclosed sites across the state. The Wisconsin National Guard since Jan. 19 also supports the state’s vaccination efforts by providing mobile vaccination teams to local health departments who request assistance. These teams have assisted in administering 56,650 vaccines as of Mar. 29.

The Wisconsin National Guard experienced an unprecedented year in 2020 of assisting Wisconsin residents and supporting local officials respond to COVID-19, election worker support and civil disturbance support operations.

Nearly 600 Citizen Soldiers and Airmen from the Wisconsin National Guard are currently serving in direct support of the state’s on-going response to COVID-19 in a variety of statuses.

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