GREEN BAY, Wis (NBC 26) -- In an attempt to better understand this pandemic and where it is most prevalent in Brown county, public health officials have opened up two community testing sites in Green Bay. At the sites, people experiencing COVID-19 symptoms who have scheduled an appointment can quickly get tested.
With over 18-hundred positive cases of COVID-19 in Brown county, community testing has become a major focus for public health in an attempt to help slow the spread of the virus.
"We have the capacity of doing roughly 900(tests) a day. Both at the Resch Center and here at Casa Alba," says Brown County Executive Troy Streckenbach.
At Casa Alba in downtown Green Bay, the free tests are being given to anyone who works or live in Brown county and is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. People wanting to get tested must either call 2-1-1 and set up an appointment or go online and schedule a testing day online.
"We want to make sure that we see a flattening of the curve. We want to make sure that we understand our health systems are not being overrun in terms of ICU's and we want to make sure that overall we have a better sampling of what is going on in Brown county," adds Streckenbach.
But the test results are about more than just answering whether or not someone has the virus. Health officials say it also allows them to reach out to people who have been in contact with those carrying the virus as well.
"So then we get anyone who has been close to the positives to isolate for a period of time too. So that hopefully, they're not out spreading it more," says De Pere Health Officer Debbie Armbruster.
"And that will allow us to put prevention efforts in other places to stop the spread," adds Brown County Public Health Officer Anna Destree.
The two community testing sites in Green Bay will be open until May 16th. And with that end date in mind, some are hoping we can begin to focus on a new starting date for the community.
"Taking advantage of the testing right now is going to give our community a better chance to open up successfully. When we slowly open the doors for some small businesses in our area," adds Streckenbach.
To set up an appointment for a free test you can call 2-1-1 or you can set up an appointment online.
