Waukesha COVID Testing Site Temporarily Closing After Scrutiny

WAUKESHA, WI— A privately-owned COVID-19 testing site in Waukesha will be closed until Jan. 22 after questions and concerns have filtered in about its parent company, Center for Covid Control.

The Illinois-based company, which has locations across Milwaukee, Wisconsin and the nation, acknowledged the reported issues in a news release and said the closure is to allow for further staff training across its over 300 listed locations.

"This period of employee training and management enhancements are intended to refocus CCC staff on its corporate mission of being the leading national provider of accessible, convenient, affordable, accurate and trusted Covid testing," CCC founder and CEO Aleya Siyaj in a news release.

Some states have begun investigations into the company. The Oregon Health Authority says they have received no test results from the company despite a law requiring them to be passed along to state or local health agencies, and the Oregon DOJ is investigating after receiving complaints.

For one site in Waukesha, Earl Mickler told FOX6 News he received a negative test result before he even stepped in the door to have the test done.

Other sites in Wisconsin have also come under question. The City of Appleton recently put out an alert about a location in Darboy that has received complaints about social distancing, optional mask-wearing and tests not being returned, WBAY reports.

Over two dozen negative reviews were left for a testing site in Worcester, Massachusetts. Reviewers complained of long waits for testing results, or that the location was closed during advertised hours.

The company says the rapid spread of the omicron variant, including within its ranks of 3000 staff members, is to blame for customer inconveniences. The staffing challenges have impacted patient wait times, consistent opening hours and delays on reporting test results, the company claims.

The company added it saw a "dramatic spike" in testing demand after omicron first landed, "equating to most individual testing sites seeing an overwhelming 10x increase in patients."

John Quinnies, Patch staff, contributed to this report.