WISCONSIN — Last week, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services announced it will end their Community Testing Support Program for COVID-19 on April 15.
Established in 2021, the Community Testing Support Program aimed to help pharmacies, tribal health departments and other organizations provide free COVID-19 testing across the state. Since it began, nearly 3 million tests have been administered at close to 250 locations.
Now, that program is ending; April 15 is the last day to get tests through the program’s various sites.
DHS said that COVID-19 testing locations will be updated regularly on its test map. Public health officials also encouraged people to contact testing sites in advance to confirm hours or need for appointment.
The end of the program comes as home self-testing methods have become more widespread.
There are several ways Wisconsinites can access testing:
- Say Yes! COVID Test Program allows households to get two test kits with 10 tests per month
- Each household is also eligible for one box of tests per month, which contains four tests, from the federal government
- Private health insurance or Medicare also gets you eight tests per covered person per month
- Over-the-counter COVID-19 tests are available at local pharmacies or retail stores
Patients can also contact their local or tribal health department to see where they can get no-cost self-tests.
DHS said that with the federal health emergency declaration for COVID-19 ending on May 11, many sites may discontinue the in-person testing.