Community COVID testing clinics continue on UWSP campuses

Metro Wire Staff

Free rapid-results COVID-19 tests will continue to be available to community members at all three UW-Stevens Point campuses in December and January.

More than 5,600 screening tests have been administered since the college began offering public testings on Nov. 9. The testing is also available to UWSP employees and students.

“We are clearly meeting a need in our communities for this quick, convenient screening test and encourage community members to take advantage of it,” said UWSP Police Chief Tony Babl, who is coordinating the testing sites, in a press release from the college.

The tests are free by appointments are required, and must be made at www.doineedacovid19test.com.

Testing will continue to be available through Wednesday, Dec. 23, then will resume Monday, Jan. 4. Testing is from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on this weekly rotation:

• Wausau – Mondays and Thursdays – UWSP at Wausau fieldhouse at South 7th and Garfield avenues – park in Lots D, E, F or on the street.
• Marshfield – Tuesdays – UWSP at Marshfield fieldhouse – park in south lot by the marauder statue. Enter the PE door.
• Stevens Point – Wednesdays and Fridays – Champions Hall (fieldhouse) Multi-Activity Center – park in Lot F West at Fourth Ave. and Isadore St. Enter through Door #9 from the west lot.

The UW System has partnered with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to make the screening tests available. The federal “surge testing” operation uses Abbott BinaxNOW rapid point-of-care tests that provide results within 15 minutes.

“While COVID-19 cases are low on UW-Stevens Point campuses, they have soared in Wisconsin. We are providing this free service in our communities to help identify people who may have the novel coronavirus so we can slow the spread of COVID-19,” Babl said.

Patients will be asked to print a voucher when they schedule their appointment. The voucher should be brought to the appointment.

Patients will self-administer a light nasal swab test under the supervising of medical professionals, with results sent to patients through an online, password-protected source.

PCR test will be available onsite to confirm the diagnosis for those who meet certain criteria, with results will be available in 3-5 days.

Appointments are listed only one week in advance and fill quickly, so anyone interested in getting an appointment may need to check back often. Appointments cannot be scheduled by phone or in-person.

The testing sites are operated by eTrueNorth under contract with the federal government. Testing is available at no cost to anyone ages 5 and older. Individuals do not have to be experiencing symptoms or be considered a close contact of someone with COVID-19 to get a test, nor do they need to live in the community where the testing site is located.

There is no limit on how often a person can be tested. Babl suggests anyone who plans to spend time with those outside their household is tested before and after the holidays.

Anyone testing positive will need to isolate for 10 days to stop the spread.

The BinaxNOW tests are in addition to antigen screening tests already offered to students at the Stevens Point campus. These tests, in the Science Building, are for students only.

For questions, please contact the COVID Hotline at [email protected] or 715-346-2619.