City of Milwaukee announces mobile COVID-19 testing sites targeting 'hard-hit' areas

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The city of Milwaukee has announced the addition of new mobile COVID-19 testing sites in hard-hit neighborhoods.

The first mobile testing site will be located at Barack Obama School at 4300 W. Fairmount Avenue. The city says testing will resume Tuesday, Dec. 29 and continue there for at least two weeks.

When the Milwaukee Health Department sees higher levels of COVID-19 in particular areas, the mobile testing sites can be moved to those locations. 

“We know testing is an essential tool in limiting the spread of COVID-19.  Testing alerts infected individuals that they need to isolate, and it triggers the need for testing among the close contacts of those identified as COVID-19 positive,” Mayor Tom Barrett said. “Because it is so important, we are making certain that testing is convenient and available to everyone in Milwaukee.”

The hours for the city mobile testing sites will be from 8 a.m.-noon on weekdays and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on weekends. 

The city is also planning for an additional mobile testing site on the city's south side. 

Testing will be provided at no cost, however unlike other city testing sites, the city mobile testing will be conducted by a private company under contract with Milwaukee. This private vendor will bill a person's health insurance.

If private insurance funding is not available, the city will be pay using federal funds.