RACINE — Over Sept. 22-28, Racine County recorded more new COVID-19 cases (376) than it had in any week since mid-May, when the positive testing rate was above 15% and when the public’s access to testing was still limited.
28September 2020
Members of the Wisconsin National Guard collect information as people wait in their cars to be tested in May at a drive-thru COVID-19 community testing site in the parking lot of Festival Hall in Downtown Racine. It has been nearly four months since community testing administered by the National Guard first arrived in Racine County.
Last week’s positive testing rate was 7.12%, which remains above health leaders’ target of 5%. The 7.12% mark is also the highest positive testing rate in more than a month.
The increase in total positive tests comes without much change to the number of total tests completed. Across the county last week, 2,750 tests were completed; since the first full week of August, no more than 3,152 tests and no fewer than 2,323 tests were completed in any one week countywide.
The National Guard is again performing COVID-19 drive-thru testing at Festival Hall, 5 Fifth St., this week. Testing began Monday and is scheduled to continue from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday.
County residents are encouraged to preregister for a testing timeslot at register.covidconnect.wi.gov, although preregistration is not required.
Following statewide trend
The state of Wisconsin has seen surging COVID-19 positive test totals too, with a new daily record of positive cases confirmed being set six times in September. On Saturday, 2,817 cases were confirmed in Wisconsin, the highest daily total so far.
A release, issued Monday by Racine County, stated: “Mirroring trends across the state, the City of Racine and Central Racine County health departments are seeing a sharp uptick in COVID-19 cases. We reiterate the urgent need to maintain social distancing, wear a face covering in public, stay home when sick or quarantined, and practice good hygiene to reduce the rate of community transmission.”
The statewide positive test rate has also been steadily, but slowly, rising since mid-June, according to Wisconsin Department of Health Services data.
Despite those increases, the numbers of deaths haven’t changed much. The rolling average number of deaths per day was hanging around eight daily deaths in May, and has been mostly between six and seven in August and September.
This discrepancy between new cases and no sharp increases in death has largely been blamed on two factors:
- Young people, a lot of whom are college students, are testing positive now and are more likely to survive COVID-19.
Death numbers tend to lag positive case counts by about two weeks, in short because you can’t die because of COVID until after you contract it.
Gov. Tony Evers has ordered his mask mandate, requiring masks to be worn by most people in most indoor places that aren’t the wearer’s own home, to be
. However, the
by the conservative legal group Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty.
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.
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
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