MILWAUKEE — As COVID-19 hospitalizations rise in Wisconsin, clinics continue to give free vaccines and testing in attempts to bring those numbers back down.

Twice a week, Northcott Neighborhood House in Milwaukee, teams up with Health Connections Inc. to offer a COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic.

Elizabeth Coggs, Northcott director of operations, also took the opportunity to get tested for COVID.

She said while very few took advantage of the clinic on Tuesday Aug. 16, that is not always the case.

“We have seen some hesitancy and then we have seen where we have had people waiting in line. It just varies with the season,” said Coggs.

However, Coggs said she feels people may not be taking COVID as seriously as they once did.

“The coronavirus is not going anywhere. I look at the dashboards daily. We see where it’s up and down and we’ve seen where we thought it was going somewhere. We see people that now don’t want to get vaccinated or wear a mask,” said Coggs.

Shana Brown is the community program coordinator of Health Connections Inc. Brown said for them, the most important thing is that places like Northcott continue to offer these services to their communities.

“When the payment for the administration of the vaccinations ended, Health Connections still provided this service when a lot of other health agencies and entities did not so we make sure that we stay in the community being ready for people when they are ready to get vaccinated or have questions,” said Brown.

Milwaukee Inner City Congregations Allied for Hope is also involved in this partnership. It aims to lead people toward clinics like these.

“We are in the community. We are trusted messengers in the community and because the congregation is in the community. It’s not another group coming from outside the community. What would that look like? So it just wasn’t about trying to, get people to attend the church, but really about how we would get them to be healthy,” said Lisa Jones, executive director of MICAH.

As some remain hesitant about getting vaccinated, Coggs said she believes there is only one thing they can do.

“We are going to keep stumping out misinformation, providing facts to people and really jog in the memory, like, ‘Do you all remember how bad it was? Do you remember seeing people in lines and you couldn’t get into the emergency room?’” said Coggs.

Coggs said she hopes people don’t forget the loved ones that have been lost to COVID-19 and will continue to remain vigilant when dealing with this virus.

A list of upcoming vaccination clinics can be found, here.