The local surge continues in COVID-19 cases and the number of people seeking tests at the city of Milwaukee health clinics.
Officials said they're considering changes to accommodate the higher demand. But they said less testing would be needed if more people would get vaccinated for COVID-19.
Recently-sworn in Acting Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson hopes he can encourage more people to get the vaccine.
The Milwaukee Health Department said in total almost 1,900 people were tested for COVID-19 at the three city drive-thru clinics Monday.
That continues a significant uptick that began just before the Christmas holiday. The long lines of cars and lengthy waiting times that started then have resumed this week.
The three city clinics are Southside Health Center located at 1639 S. 23rd St., Menomonee Valley Site located at 2401 W. St. Paul Ave., and Northwest Health Centerlocated at 7630 W. Mill Road.
Acting Mayor Johnson visited the Northwest Health Center Tuesday to thank Health Department workers. He thanked a woman who used to help vaccinate people at the now-closed Wisconsin Center site downtown.
"Thanks for making your way from down there to up here and keeping the work going," Johnson told the worker.
City Health Commissioner Kirsten Johnson was with Mayor Johnson and told news reporters that health department staff are feeling the stress like hospital workers during the current COVID-19 surge.
"We have staff who have been working, frankly around the clock for almost two years. We're trying to manage that and keep them engaged and encouraged. Everyone, I can't say enough good things, has done a tremendous job," Commissioner Johnson said.
Still, Commissioner Johnson said she's looking at ways for the three clinics to add more hours soon but said the sites wouldn't be open on New Year's weekend, so staff can return fresh to work next week.
She also said the Milwaukee sites will continue to provide testing and vaccines not just for city residents, but for anyone who might come in from the suburbs.
"I don't know if that's contributing to the stress necessarily. But I feel strongly from a public health standpoint that we support the population. Our borders are fluid, and I want to make sure that the people we are interacting with have access to the resources we need to keep themselves safe and healthy," Johnson said.
Commissioner Johnson said 20% of people getting tested at the Milwaukee sites are testing positive. The city health clinics use the more reliable PCR tests. But Johnson said people using the less reliable antigen tests at home or other locations should accept those results.
She said she expects the COVID-19 surge to continue for a while.
Both Commissioner Johnson and Acting Mayor Johnson said the testing and positive rate would go down if more people wore masks in public indoor settings and got the COVID-19 vaccine or a booster if eligible.
Vaccination rates in the city of Milwaukee trail the suburbs, and a higher percentage of local Caucasians have gotten a shot than non-white individuals. Acting Mayor Johnson, who is Black, said he hopes to connect with people whom former Mayor Tom Barrett, who is white, could not reach.
"I know for some African-Americans, they were skeptical of getting the vaccination. But I am an African-American man. I have gotten my vaccination series — both shots. I've gotten the booster shot. My wife has gotten both series shot and the booster shot. My 11-year-old son has gotten both of his shots, and my twin daughters are three years old. They're not old enough just yet. But when they become eligible to get the vaccine, they'll get it too," Mayor Johnson said. "It's safe. It's effective, and it will stop a lot of folks in our community, especially those who live in hard-hit depressed neighborhoods, from contracting COVID and spreading it to people they care about."
While most people at the Northwest Health Center were there for COVID-19 tests, others registered to get their first shot. Among them, a Black man, Thomas Carson.
"It is time. I tried to wait it out. It didn't work for me. So, I don't want to get sick. So, I'm going for my vaccination today," Carson said.
Carson said his sister passed away from COVID-19 two months ago, and other family members have become ill.
The Health Department said about 61% of Milwaukee residents are fully vaccinated, ages 16 and up. Sixty-six percent have gotten their first dose. About one-third of those eligible have received a booster.
