GREEN BAY (NBC26) -- — The demand for COVID-19 tests is higher than ever, and some people are waiting hours to get tested.
Prevea Health added two new testing sites this week: one in Marinette and one in Kewaunee. CVS is adding nine new testing sites all over Wisconsin, including one in Green Bay, Appleton and Sturgeon Bay.
Amber Allen, Executive Director of primary care, quality and innovation at Prevea Health, says these communities needed more testing available.
“There was not local access to testing without having to drive 30 or more minutes to receive a test," she said.
They are already seeing many people signing up for testing at the new locations.
“They’re definitely getting themselves on those schedules," said Allen.
On Monday, people were waiting three to four hours for tests at the Sunnyview Expo Center testing site, the Winnebago County Health Department said in a Facebook post Monday. People might start making long drives just to get tested somewhere without a wait, said
We are currently experiencing wait times of 3-4 hours at the Regional COVID-19 Testing Site at Sunnyview Expo Center....
Posted by Winnebago County Health Department on Monday, October 5, 2020
“If people aren’t finding something that meets their needs, they are traveling to a site that may be 30 or 40 or even an hour away to get their test done," she said.
It's unclear if more testing will show that COVID-19 is worse in rural areas than we think, said Allen.
“It’s too early to tell at this point," she said.
