Brown County Public Health closes its community COVID-19 test site
DE PERE – Four days after a federal judge rejected mask mandates for air travel and public transportation, Brown County Public Health announced it would close its community’s COVID-19 test site on April 30.
“At present, we are confident that the existing COVID-19 test resources provided by our health and community partners will be sufficient to meet the testing needs of Brown County residents,” Brown County Public Health Officer Anna Nick said in a news release Friday. .
The Brown County community’s COVID-19 test site at the fairgrounds, 1500 Fort Howard Ave., has offered free COVID-19 testing to the public Wednesday through Sunday.
After April 30, Brown County residents are due to visit Bellin Health, Streu’s Pharmacy in Green Bay, Prevea, Walgreens, CVS or Lawyer Aurora Health for free PCR testing, though rapid testing at Streu’s Pharmacy costs $ 89. People without health insurance can receive free COVID-19 testing at the above locations.
The news comes after Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport and Green Bay Metro Transit announced passengers will no longer be required to wear face masks while traveling.
According to the press release, Brown County Public Health will continue to monitor local COVID-19 activity, and if case numbers challenge test capacity, it will reconsider the opening of another community test site.
Dr. Robert Mead, a family physician at Bellin Health and one of the lead physicians for Bellin’s COVID-19 incident command, is concerned about what closing mass test sites will mean for reporting COVID-19 cases.
“We recommend that if someone tests positive on their home set, they contact their doctor so they can evaluate the treatment,” Mead said. “It should also be reported. Many tests are no longer reported.”
According to Wisconsin Department of Health Services, over the past month, 645 people in Brown County have been reported to have either a confirmed or probable COVID-19 diagnosis. However, with the availability of home tests, the number may be higher.
Brown County Public Health recommends signing up free COVID-19 home test kitto contact your primary care physician or call the nationwide number, 2-1-1, for information on testing options.
Natalie Eilbert is a government watchdog reporter for the Green Bay Press-Gazette. You can reach her at [email protected] or check out her Twitter profile @natalie_eilbert.