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.

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. 8-14 along with cumulative testing site totals since late December 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 each Monday through Mar. 8 at the Adams County Highway Department in Adams and has collected over 330 specimens as of Mar. 8.
  • Barron County: A team conducts a community-based testing site each Tuesday through Mar. 9 at the Barron Fire Department building and has gathered over 530 specimens as of Mar. 8.
  • Bayfield County: A community-based testing site operated at the Iron River Community Center Dec. 28 through Mar. 5 and gathered nearly 370 specimens. The Red Cliff Nation hosted a community-based testing site Jan. 16 to Mar. 6 and collected nearly 100 specimens.
  • Burnett County: The St. Croix Tribe of Ojibwe hosted a community-based testing site Dec. 11 through Mar. 5 and collected nearly 350 specimens.
  • Columbia County: A community-based testing site conducted between Jan. 5 and Mar. 2 in Columbus gathered nearly 125 specimens.
  • Crawford County: Prairie du Chien hosts a community-based specimen collection site Mar. 9 and has gathered over 30 specimens as of Mar. 8.
  • Dodge County: A community-based testing site operates each Monday and Wednesday in Beaver Dam through Mar. 10 and has collected nearly 4,000 specimens as of Mar. 8.
  • Dunn County: A community-based testing site operated in Menominee and gathered nearly 70 specimens.
  • Eau Claire County: A regional community-based testing in Eau Claire operates each Monday, Friday and Saturday through Mar. 8 and has collected over 1,300 specimens as of Mar. 8. A second site in Augusta operates each Wednesday through Mar. 10 and has collected 240 specimens as of Mar. 8.
  • Florence County: Florence hosted a community-based testing site Jan. 8 through Mar. 5 and gathered over 50 specimens.
  • Fond du Lac County: A team operated a community-based testing site each Thursday through Dec. 17 through Mar. 4 at the Fond du Lac County Fairgrounds and gathered over 1,600 specimens. A team gathered over 730 specimens Mar. 2 at the Taycheedah Correctional Institution.
  • Grant County: Lancaster hosts a community-based testing site each Tuesday through Mar. 9 and has gathered over 780 specimens as of Mar. 8. A second site operated in Platteville each Friday Dec. 18 through Mar. 5 and gathered over 450 specimens.
  • Iron County: Hurley hosts a community-based testing site Mar. 9 and has collected over 70 specimens as of Mar. 8.
  • Jackson County: One team operates a community-based testing site each Wednesday through Mar. 10 in Black River Falls and has gathered nearly 500 specimens as of Mar. 8.
  • Jefferson County: One team conducts a community-based testing site each Monday through May 24 in Jefferson and has gathered nearly 2,000 specimens as of Mar. 8.
  • Juneau County: Mauston hosted a community-based testing site each Thursday Dec. 17 through Mar. 4 and gathered over 530 specimens as of Mar. 8.
  • La Crosse County: La Crosse hosts a community-based testing site each Monday through Mar. 8 and has gathered over 1,800 specimens as of Mar. 8. West Salem operated a second community-based site each Saturday Dec. 19 through Mar. 6 and collected over 600 specimens. A third site operated at the Wisconsin Department of Transportation in La Crosse each Friday Dec. 18 through Mar. 5 and gathered nearly 700 specimens. Holmen hosts a fourth site each Wednesday through Mar. 10 and has gathered over 1,400 specimens as of Mar. 8.
  • Lincoln County: A community-based testing site operates each Wednesday through Mar. 10 at the Merrill Festival Grounds in Merrill and has gathered over 360 specimens as of Mar. 8.
  • Manitowoc County: A team conducts a community-based testing site Mar. 9 at the Manitowoc County Expo Center and has collected over 500 specimens as of Mar. 8.
  • Menominee County: A team operated a community-based testing site Dec. 22 through Mar. 2 in Keshena and collected nearly 550 specimens.
  • 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. 9 and has gathered over 7,500 specimens as of Mar. 8.
  • Monroe County: The Monroe County Highway Department in Tomah hosted a community-based specimen collection site Jan. 7 through Mar. 4 and collected over 230 specimens.
  • Oconto County: Mountain hosted a community-based testing site Dec. 22 through 2 and gathered nearly 350 specimens.
  • Oneida County: A community-based testing site operates each Tuesday through Mar. 9 in Rhinelander and has gathered over 1,340 specimens as of Mar. 8.
  • Outagamie County: A team conducts a community-based specimen collection site each Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday through Mar. 10 in Appleton and has collected over 2,400 specimens as of Mar. 8.
  • Pierce County: A team operates a community-based specimen collection site in Ellsworth each Monday until May 24 and has gathered over 670 specimens as of Mar. 8.
  • Portage County: Stevens Point hosts a community-based testing site each Monday through Mar. 8 and has collected nearly 230 specimens as of Mar. 8.
  • Racine County: A community-based testing site operates at the Racine County Fairgrounds in Union Grove each Wednesday through Mar. 10 and has gathered 870 specimens as of Mar. 8. A second site operates at Festival Hall in Racine each Monday through May 24.
  • Rock County: A team conducts a community-based specimen collection site Mar. 10-12 at Blackhawk Technical College and has gathered over 2,100 specimens as of Mar. 8.
  • Richland County: A team operates a community-based testing site each Thursday through Mar. 10 at the Richland County Fairgrounds and has collected over 260 specimens as of Mar. 8.
  • Sawyer County: A team conducts a community-based testing site each Wednesday through Mar. 10 at the fire hall in Winter and has collected over 350 specimens as of Mar. 8.
  • Shawano County: A team operates a community-based site for the Stockbridge-Munsee Nation in Bowler Mar. 9-10 and has collected nearly 1,700 specimens as of Mar. 8.
  • Sheboygan County: A team conducts a community-based testing site each Wednesday through Mar. 10 in Sheboygan and has gathered over 1,400 specimens as of Mar. 8.
  • Taylor County: A team conducted a community-based testing site Dec. 16 through Mar. 5 in Medford and collected nearly 250 specimens.
  • Vernon County: A team operates a community-based testing site Mar. 9 in Viroqua and has gathered over 550 specimens as of Mar. 8.
  • Walworth County: A team conducts a community-based testing site each Tuesday between Dec. 15 and Mar. 9 at the Walworth County Fairgrounds and has collected nearly 1,600 specimens as of Mar. 8.
  • Waukesha County: One team operates a community-based testing every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the Waukesha County Expo Center between Dec. 14 and Mar. 10 and has gathered over 4,400 specimens as of Mar. 8.
  • Waupaca County: A team operates a community-based testing site each Wednesday through Mar. 10 at the Waupaca County Fairgrounds and has collected nearly 725 specimens as of Mar. 8.
  • 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 gathered over 6,300 specimens as of Mar. 8.
  • Wood County: A team operated a community-based testing site each Wednesday Dec. 16 through Mar. 3 in Wisconsin Rapids and collected over 250 specimens.

As of Mar. 8, Wisconsin National Guard teams have collected 1,043,601 specimens statewide.

Approximately 20 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 30,481 vaccines as of Mar. 8.

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.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email