Miller Park opens up for COVID-19 testing

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Miller Park opened as a COVID-19 testing site Monday, Oct. 19. This comes as Wisconsin continues to set daily records with news cases reported. 

"This is like my sixth time getting tested," says Susanne Cartagena. 

Cartagena was one in the crowd who showed up to the first day of testing at Miller Park. 

"I'm a caregiver and I always get checked, at least once a week for my residents because I have to keep them safe."

Cartagena's story is similar to others who waited in line to get tested as a precautionary measure. 

"A friend of mine tested positive and I just want to make sure that I'm safe," says Peter Russo. 

The testing site will be open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. It will be drive-thru testing and is available for free to anyone 5 years and older. 

The Wisconsin National Guard will staff the site and they'll be training workers to perform the tests. 

"Over the next month and a half or so eventually where these enduring sites will be completely run by civilian volunteers," says Major Joe Trovato of the Wisconsin National Guard. 

"When you look at the positivity rate, when you look at the incidents of disease in Wisconsin," says Nick Tomaro, preparedness coordinator for the Milwaukee Health Department. "We want to have this free testing for people."

The site has the ability to administer 2,000 tests per day. 

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett is stressing the importance of testing and says it's especially important as we head into winter. 

"We strongly urge individuals in particular who are showing symptoms or who have been exposed to come get tested because we know testing along with masks and social distancing is a big part in what we're trying to do to defeat the COVID-19," Mayor Barrett said. 

With the National Guard shifting operations to Miller Park, testing sites at UMOS and the Barack Obama School have closed.

In Milwaukee, there are COVID-19 drive-thru testing at the Southside Health Center, 1639 S 23rd Street, and another at the Northwest Health Center, 7630 W Mill Road.

The National Guard has several other new testing sites outside of Milwaukee including: 

• Kenosha County Center in Bristol, 19600 75th Street, 53104 - open Fridays beginning Oct. 23 through Dec. 4
• Kenosha County Job Center, 8600 Sheridan Road, 53143 - open Mondays through Dec. 7 
• Racine County Health Department, 10005 Northwestern Ave, Franksville, 53126 - open Tuesdays and Wednesdays through Dec. 9 
• Washington County fairgrounds, 3000 County Hwy PV, West Bend, 53095 - open Tuesdays through Dec. 8