Ozaukee Co. Fairgrounds COVID-19 testing site closed temporarily due to staffing concerns

CEDARBURG, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The Washington Ozaukee Health Department announced the temporary closure of a key testing site in its area, leaving residents in the area to look for other resources as demand remains high.

The department announced the Ozaukee County Fairgrounds testing site would be closed temporarily due to staffing concerns.

"I live just right down the street so figured I would check it out," said Luke Eshleman of Cedarburg, who arrived at the closed site on Wednesday looking for a test. "But I'm not sure what I'm going to do, probably see where I can get in next and wait a day or two."

The health department is encouraging people affected by the fairgrounds site closure to go to alternative sites. They include Washington County Fair Park, the Aging and Disability Resource Center in Sheboygan and Summit Clinical Labs in Fox Point and Germantown.

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"A few days before Christmas, it started to get crazy," Summit co-owner Faisal Ahmed-Yahia told CBS 58 at the facility in Germantown. "And Monday was just out of control crazy at all of our sites."

While Ahmed-Yahia said clinics have been able to keep up with demand, they are not immune to COVID-19's effect on staffing.

"I would say we're probably at about 15 percent of our workforce is down," Ahmed-Yahia said. "So it's kind of crazy having the added demand and limited staff to staff these clinics."

Ahmed-Yahia said while the current surge has been overwhelming at times, he takes pride in helping the region's suburban and rural communities.

"We feel a lot on our shoulders to get us through and get this community through this pandemic," Ahmed-Yahia said. "So we take that very seriously and proud to be where we're at."

Community testing information can be found HERE.

Summit Clinical Laboratories information can be found HERE. 

More from the Washington Ozaukee Public Health Department can be found HERE.