Find COVID-19 Tests In Wisconsin As Supplies Are Short

MILWAUKEE, WI — Wisconsin health officials are urging people to get tested for COVID-19 as the omicron variant becomes more prevalent in the Midwest, people gather with their friends and families for the holidays and local hospitals deal with an overflow of patients ill with coronavirus.

Residents should get tested if they are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who has the virus, and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services should stay home and away from gatherings until they have been tested.

Tests can be found at local pharmacies and at community testing centers, and health services officials say people should get tested before traveling.

This guide includes places to get tested, but the status of tests is rapidly changing. It's always good to call ahead to make sure this information is still accurate. You may have to hunt online for available testing appointments or wait in long lines as demand spikes.

Testing For Every Wisconsinite

Places like Walgreens, CVS and Pick 'n Save have limited appointments for tests and over the counter tests to be taken at home. State health services offers an entire database for community testing sites, and can mail an at-home collection kit straight to your home.

See Also: Walgreens, CVS Limit At-Home COVID-19 Tests In Wisconsin

The City of Milwaukee will offer drive-thru COVID-19 testing sites at three locations: the Northwest Health Center, Southside Health Center and the Menomonee Valley Site. However these locations will be closed Friday, Saturday and Sunday for the holidays. They will open again Monday.

The following are the state health-service guidelines on at-home rapid COVID-19 test results.

• Positive test results mean that you are likely infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. People who test positive should stay home or isolate for 10 days and avoid gathering with people outside of the household.
• Negative test results mean that you are likely not infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, but false negatives are possible. State health services say to consider testing again a day or two later, and tests at least 24 hours apart increase confidence in the results.
• Contact your healthcare provider or a community testing site if you have trouble understanding the results or are concerned with the accuracy of the result.

Local Options

The following is a list of testing information in communities in the Milwaukee Area. If you don't see your town or city listed, call your local health department.

• Waukesha
• Wauwatosa
• Brookfield
• Franklin
• Oak Creek