MADISON, Wis. — Gov. Tony Evers and the state Department of Health Services are expanding COVID-19 testing for assisted living facilities, according to a news release Wednesday.
The new program lets facilities and adult family homes opt-in for routine surveillance testing.
“The health and safety of the folks living in our assisted living facilities is of utmost concern, and our existing partnerships allow us to offer more routine testing,” Evers said in a statement. “I want to thank the testing team and our lab partners for their hard work in making this expanded testing possible.”
DHS said the program is one part of the state’s testing strategy. The news comes one day after Evers announced free, at-home testing kits will be available for all Wisconsinites.
“Testing is a key tool for boxing in the virus, and routine surveillance testing will give these facilities the information they need to take further action to contain the spread,” DHS Secretary-designee Andrea Palm said. “Our DHS testing team will begin contacting eligible facilities about this new opportunity in the coming days and weeks as we phase in this important program.”
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