MADISON, Wis. – Wisconsin National Guard specimen collection teams will gather COVID-19 specimens Monday through Wednesday this week due to the New Year’s holiday.
Teams have collected a cumulative total of nearly 990,000 specimens 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. They have established mobile testing sites since early April at locations ranging from correctional facilities, health clinics and institutional facilities, to private businesses, senior-living facilities, and community-based testing sites.
DHS: 1,335 new positive cases of COVID-19 in WI; 19 new deaths
By FOX6 News Digital Team
Published article
MADISON, Wis. - The number of positive cases of COVID-19 in Wisconsin rose by 1,335 Monday, Dec. 28, officials with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported, for a total of 472,153.
There have been 4,711 deaths in the state, with 19 new deaths reported Monday by DHS officials.
Of the positive cases, 20,911 have required hospitalization (4.4%), while 436,233 have recovered (92.7%), making for 29,791 active cases (6.3%).
More than 2.3 million have tested negative. More than 2.8 million have been tested.
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Health officials work to reconcile vaccine distrust in Black community
UW Health became Wisconsin s first health care system to receive and distribute doses of Pfizer s COVID-19 vaccine. They re also on the forefront of engaging with historically marginalized communities.
Vaccinations begin at long-term care facilities
December 28, 2020 2:34 PM Logan Rude
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 08: A nurse prepares to administer the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at Guy s Hospital at the start of the largest ever immunisation programme in the UK s history on December 8, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. More than 50 hospitals across England were designated as covid-19 vaccine hubs, the first stage of what will be a lengthy vaccination campaign. NHS staff, over-80s, and care home residents will be among the first to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, which recently received emergency approval from the country s health authorities. (Photo by Frank Augstein - Pool / Getty Images)
Governor Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), announced a new contract with Vault Medical Services that will add an additional tool to the Wisconsin coronavirus testing toolbox.
Wisconsin Tony Evers
At-home coronavirus saliva collection kits will be available to everyone who lives in Wisconsin, with or without symptoms, at no cost.
“We believe that anyone in Wisconsin who needs to be tested for coronavirus should have access to a test, and I’m proud of our statewide testing efforts throughout this pandemic,” said Gov. Evers.
“We also know that getting to a health care provider or a community testing site isn’t easy for everyone, and that’s why we are excited to offer this new option to make testing even more accessible for folks across our state.”