Weekly Update: October 12, 2021
To find a COVID-19 vaccine location in Wisconsin, visit Vaccines.gov or call 211 or 877-947-2211. As we continue to see high case activity throughout the state, it’s also important that we all add layers of protection, like getting vaccinated, wearing masks, and staying home when feeling sick.
DHS Celebrates: Indigenous Peoples' Day
 Yesterday, October 11, DHS recognized Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a time to reflect and recognize the long-lasting impact of colonialism on Native communities. It is also a time to celebrate the cultural, social, and economic contributions of Native peoples throughout the United States.
The holiday serves as a reminder that the founding of America was built on land already inhabited by Indigenous peoples, and that centuries of colonialism, federal policy, and governance systematically led to the genocide of millions of Indigenous peoples, forced removal off their land, and attempted erasure of their cultures, traditions, and languages.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted health inequities across the nation and in Wisconsin. COVID-19 has been hard on everyone, but data shows that Wisconsin’s Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19. To view these data and learn more about the disproportionate impact COVID-19 has among many communities of color, visit the COVID-19 Racial and Ethnic Disparities page.
Governor Tony Evers signed Executive Order #136 yesterday, issuing a formal acknowledgement and apology for Wisconsin’s role in Indian boarding schools and renewing our state’s commitment to promoting the well-being and growth of Wisconsin’s Indigenous communities.
COVID-19 Testing: When to Test and Where?
Do you have COVID-19 symptoms? Have you been in close contact with someone with COVID-19? If your answer is “yes” to either of these questions, it’s time to get tested, even if you are fully vaccinated. There are many ways to get tested for COVID-19 in Wisconsin. First contact your doctor to ask if your primary health care clinic provides testing. If testing is not available, you can find a free community testing site near you, request a free at-home collection kit, or call 211 for options near you.
DHS Relaunches Community Testing Program to Increase COVID-19 Testing Capacity
On October 6, 2021, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) relaunched the Testing Pilot Program, now referred to as the Community Testing Support Program, to support organizations across the state in offering local, convenient COVID-19 testing.
The Community Testing Support will provide approved applicants with:
- Free testing supplies and courier services through contracted vendors
- Reimbursement for specimen collection. Each sample collection is reimbursed at a rate of $20, including results communication for testing conducted
Local and tribal health departments (LTHDs), health partners, and entities connected to a physician or LTHD willing to provide oversight are encouraged to apply. New applicants can find information about the program as well as how to apply on the DHS Community Testing Support Program web page. Applications will be accepted as of October 6, 2021, and the deadline to apply is December 15, 2021. The anticipated program end date is June 30, 2022.
Please send any questions or concerns to dhscovidtestingprogram@dhs.wisconsin.gov.
Reminder: Contact Tracing Text Notifications
 Last week, the Department of Health Services (DHS) announced technology enhancements so that people who have been in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 can be sent a text or email notifying them of their exposure to COVID-19. This new feature is another way to share important information with close contacts in a timely fashion. Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 will continue to receive a phone call from a contact tracer.
This close contact texting and email notification system is different from the Wisconsin Exposure Notification app, which exchanges anonymous signals with other phones that are near it for at least 15 minutes and allows people who test positive to send an alert to other nearby phones. The app is available for download from the Google Play Store, or can be enabled in Settings on your iPhone.
For more information on contact tracing and close contacts, visit the DHS COVID-19 Contact Tracing and COVID-19 Close Contacts webpages.
Reducing Barriers to Advance Equity Through COVID-19 Vaccination
As part of our $6.2 million grant program to promote vaccine equity, local and tribal health departments, vaccinators, and community-based organizations are finding ways to ensure underserved and historically marginalized populations have the opportunity to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Here are a few examples of the work our partners are doing:
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Health Connections Inc., in partnership with UniteWI and Wisconsin Council of Churches, will be hosting a number of vaccination events in October. Health Connections will also be continuing to offer in home vaccinations and drive up testing to the Greater Milwaukee Area.
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Kenosha County Public Health is now in their third week of implementing block-by-block mobile vaccinations in partnership with community leaders. They have been making headway and headlines with this new vaccination approach.
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