
Wisconsin National Guard members prepare to start testing people on May 18 at a drive-thru and walk-up COVID-19 community testing site in the parking lot of Festival Hall in Downtown Racine, the first such testing day in the city. More consistent testing from the National Guard is planned through early December in Racine and Kenosha counties.
Drive-thru community testing for the coronavirus will be greatly expanded in southeastern Wisconsin in the coming weeks as the numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases across the state continue to skyrocket.
For five days a week, through the next seven weeks — albeit with a couple of exceptions — the National Guard will be performing COVID-19 testing at rotating locations in Racine and Kenosha counties.
Anyone age 5 or older who is a Wisconsin resident can be tested for free. Minors must be accompanied by a parent and/or guardian to be tested.
On Mondays through Dec. 7,
- the Guard will be performing testing at the Kenosha County Job Center, 8600 Sheridan Road, Kenosha.
On Tuesdays and Wednesdays through Dec. 9,
- excluding on Nov. 11, the Guard will be performing testing at the Central Racine County Health Department, 10005 Northwestern Ave., Franksville.
On Thursdays Nov. 4 through Dec. 10,
- excluding on Nov. 26, the Guard will be performing testing at the Cesar Chavez Community Center, 2221 Douglas Ave., Racine.
On Fridays through Dec. 4,
- excluding on Nov. 27, the Guard will be performing testing at the Kenosha County Center, 19600 75th St., Bristol.
Testing each day at each location will be from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
On Friday, the State of Wisconsin set a new daily record for total positive coronavirus tests for the second day in a row. On Friday, 3,861 tests came back positive; on Thursday, 3,747 tests came back positive.
It was the 12th time since Sept. 4 that such a record has been set in Wisconsin, a trend that has not been seen since the first days of the pandemic. It’s another sign that, right now across the state, Wisconsinites haven’t done a great job of flattening the curve, according to health experts.
Although the numbers of tests being performed have risen slightly, the percentage of tests coming back positive has been rising quickly.
In July and August, the state’s 7-day percent positive by person average hung around 7% and 8%.
Since Sept. 11, the 7-day percent positive by person average hasn’t been below 13%. From Oct. 6 through Friday, that metric has flown upward from 17.2% to 20.7%.
Racine County has contributed to that rise, according to numbers from the Department of Health Services, although some of the new positive tests may be dated reporting numbers as DHS updates its website. From the first full week of August through the final full week of September, the county’s weekly positive percentage was not above 8%. The past three weeks reported, however, have had weekly positive testing percentages of 13.77%, 6.83% and 9.29%.
The last couple days in the county have also had very high test percentages. On Friday, the daily positive percentage was 47.75%; the percentage was 63.43% on Thursday; it was 61.36% on Wednesday; and 21.51% on Tuesday.
The first day of free coronavirus testing at Festival Hall, in photos
Car test

A Wisconsin National Guard member tests a person on Monday morning, May 18, 2020, at a drive-thru COVID-19 community testing site in the parking lot of Festival Hall in Downtown Racine. The testing site was created in partnership with Racine County, the State of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin National Guard. Testing will at the site will continue through Friday, May 22, between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., the testing is free and available to anyone in the community.
Waiting on foot and on scooter

A Wisconsin National Guard collects information as people wait to be tested at a drive-thru and walk-up COVID-19 community testing site in the parking lot of Festival Hall in Downtown Racine on May 18.
Waiting in cars

People wait in their cars to be tested as members of the Wisconsin National Guard collect information during a foggy Monday morning, May 18, 2020, at a drive-thru COVID-19 community testing site in the parking lot of Festival Hall in Downtown Racine. The testing site was created in partnership with Racine County, the State of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin National Guard. Testing will at the site will continue through Friday, May 22, between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m the testing is free and available to anyone in the community.
Walking to the testing site

Wisconsin National Guard members lead people who walked to Festival Hall rather than drive Monday morning at a drive-thru COVID-19 community testing site in the parking lot of Festival Hall in Downtown Racine.
Ready to roll

Wisconsin National Guard prepare to start testing people Monday morning at a drive-thru and walk-up COVID-19 community testing site in the parking lot of Festival Hall in Downtown Racine. The testing site was created in partnership with Racine County, the State of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin National Guard. Testing will at the site will continue through Friday, May 22, between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., the testing is free and available to anyone in the community.
Checking in

A National Guardsman kneels while talking to a driver waiting in line before receiving a coronavirus test Monday at Festival Hall.
Racinians tell us why they wanted to get tested for coronavirus
Drive-up and walk-up

Hundreds were able to get tested for coronavirus in the parking lot of Festival Hall, 5 Fifth St., on Monday when Racine County's second free community testing site, staffed by the Wisconsin National Guard, opened. Those who wanted to be tested could drive up or walk up to the site.
Waiting to be tested

Members of the Wisconsin National Guard, donned in personal protective equipment, talk to people queuing in vehicles before they could get tested Monday at Festival Hall, 5 Fifth St.
Curtis Walls gets tested

Curtis Walls, a Chicago native and Racine resident, receives a nasal test from a Wisconsin National Guard member in the parking lot of Festival Hall on Monday.
Julio Negron

Julio Negron of Racine undergoes a nasal swab test for coronavirus in the parking lot of Festival Hall on Monday. The test involves a tester collecting samples from deep inside both of the subject's nostrils.
Getting info

Members of the Wisconsin National Guard collect information as people wait in their cars to be tested Monday morning at a drive-thru COVID-19 community testing site in the parking lot of Festival Hall in Downtown Racine.
Brian Paulhus

Brian Paulhus, who lives Downtown, receives a coronavirus test.
Test in vehicle

A Wisconsin National Guard member tests a person on Monday morning, May 18, 2020, at a drive-thru COVID-19 community testing site in the parking lot of Festival Hall in Downtown Racine. The testing site was created in partnership with Racine County, the State of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin National Guard. Testing will at the site will continue through Friday, May 22, between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., the testing is free and available to anyone in the community.
Foggy testing site

People enter and leave the parking lot of Festival Hall in Downtown Racine on Monday morning at a drive-thru COVID-19 community testing site. The testing site was created in partnership with Racine County, the State of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin National Guard. Testing will at the site will continue through Friday, May 22, between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., the testing is free and available to anyone in the community.
Mayor Mason in a mask

Mason