Author: Sam Buisman

Over 40 mobile COVID-19 testing sites open across the state, offering free coronavirus tests for Wisconsinites.

With assistance from the National Guard, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services opened up 41 mobile testing sites across 20 counties, including one in Dane County. These sites offer free COVID-19 diagnostic testing to all Wisconsinites, and nearly half do not require an appointment or doctor's note to administer a test.

The Dane County mobile testing site is currently located at the Alliant Energy Center. The site offers drive-through or walk-up testing with no prior appointment necessary on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. and on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:00 P.M 8:00 P.M. No ID is required, and you will not be asked of your immigration status. The site will offer a test to anyone except children under five years old.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services recommends that anyone who is showing symptoms of COVID-18, which include coughing, shortness of breath, fever, a loss of taste or smell and more, or who has been exposed to COVID-19 should be tested.

While some cases of the disease come with mild or even no symptoms, the DHS is generally not testing asymptomatic persons at this time. However, UW-Health is offering antibody tests that can determine if the recipient has previously been exposed to COVID-19.

As these are mobile testing sites, they will move to address changes in testing needs across the state. Their current locations, as well as the hours and process of each site, are listed on the “COVID-19: How to get tested” page of the Department of Health Service's website.

According to the DHS, there are currently 12,543 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Wisconsin, 537 of which are in Dane County.