FITCHBURG, Wis. – Just this week, the Fitchburg Family Pharmacy has reopened its doors and added COVID-19 testing to its list of services.
It’s one of 71 new, free community testing sites announced by the State Thursday. The sites, a mix of places such as community centers, fire stations and pharmacies, will be able to test up to 48,000 people each week.
According to Thad Schumacher, Fitchburg Family Pharmacy’s owner and pharmacist, they’re already preparing for a busy testing day Friday.
“Our mission is always to meet the community’s needs,” Schumacher said.
This year, those needs are changing.
“Of course, this is something we’ve never done before,” he said. “We are working tirelessly to make policies and procedures.”
We are now offering COVID testing at the pharmacy! In order to ensure the safety of our staff and patients, the back…
Posted by Fitchburg Family Pharmacy on Tuesday, October 27, 2020
One staff member, decked out in safety gear, will administer the COVID-19 tests in a sealed off portion of the pharmacy with its own entrance.
“It was important for us that we design a program that would keep people who work normally in the pharmacy safe,” Schumacher said. “We need a fridge to store tests once administered, and those are picked up by a lab on a daily basis.”
The testing is by appointment only Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The pharmacy is starting with 15 tests a day. Those interested can sign up on its website.
While it’s a new service, Schumacher said it’s one he’s happy to take on.
“It’s really about taking care of people and putting the community first, so that’s what we’re doing,” he said. “We need to expand what pharmacists participate in in healthcare. We’re an underutilized resource in the healthcare community.”
Schumacher hopes this will help alleviate some of the pressure on the Alliant Energy Center test site, which has seen long lines on its busiest days. Since Public Health Madison & Dane County took over testing from the National Guard, there have been substantial waits for the last four Tuesdays.
“We have, as I mentioned earlier, unprecedented levels of COVID in our community,” said PHMDC Operations Director Kate Austin Stanford during a city media briefing Thursday morning. “That also means more folks are seeking testing.”
Earlier this week, PHMDC COVID response data team lead Katarina Grande said they’ve recently seen more people coming in for testing from out of Dane County.
The agency wasn’t able to provide an interview Thursday, but a spokesperson said in an email that they’re happy to see the additional 71 testing sites but can’t speak to the potential impact on the Alliant Energy Center.
“One of our key tools is testing, and that is why we are expanding access to COVID-19 testing in Wisconsin,” said Julie Willems Van Dijk, deputy secretary for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, during a media briefing Thursday afternoon.
Wisconsin National Guard personnel will also provide some testing support for outbreaks and emerging needs throughout the state.
“We look forward to continuing to offer this testing to our fellow neighbors across Wisconsin and we will continue to support when called,” Maj. Russell Simonis said.
The new testing sites are funded by the federal CARES Act. More than $500 million in CARES funding has been dedicated by the governor to support Wisconsin’s testing efforts.
The full list of new community test sites, open through Dec. 10, can be found on the DHS website here.
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