UW-Madison adds second surge testing site at Kohl Center for students and employees

UW-Madison will expand its COVID-19 testing capacity with a new site for rapid antigen testing at the Kohl Center beginning Wednesday, November 18 through December 23. This site will be exclusively open to UW–Madison students and employees. The rapid antigen tests complement PCR tests currently available for students and employees through University Health Services (UHS) as positive COVID-19 rates continue to rise in Dane County and across the state.

Rapid antigen testing from Abbott BinaxNOW delivers results in as little as 15 minutes. A positive BinaxNOW test result will require a confirmatory PCR test, available from UHS at the Kohl Center. Some participants may elect to schedule a confirmatory PCR test depending on their symptoms, even if the BinaxNOW test result is negative. No appointment will be required for follow-up PCR testing. The PCR test results could take several days, and participants should self-isolate as they wait for results.

For answers to frequently asked questions about antigen testing, go here.

BinaxNOW testing will occur in the east concourse of the Kohl Center. Participants should enter the Kohl Center through Gate C on the southeast side of the facility, off Frances Street.

Rapid antigen tests will be available by appointment only at https://covidresponse.wisc.edu/testing/; the site will direct you to separate sign-ups for students, employees and community members.

Testing locations will only appear online if appointments are available. Participants are encouraged to check the site often if they are looking to make an appointment, as time slots may open with cancellations. Site hours and test results for the BinaxNOW test will be available on the same website. Confirmatory PCR test results will be posted to participants’ MyUHS accounts.

The Kohl Center testing site is the second rapid antigen test site on the UW–Madison campus. Last week, UW-Madison announced free testing for area residents, ages five years and older, at the Nielsen Tennis Stadium. Community members who are not UW–Madison students or employees should continue using the Nielsen Tennis Stadium site.

Earlier this month, the United States Department of Health and Human Services allocated approximately 250,000 rapid antigen tests to UW System universities due to recent outbreaks across the state of Wisconsin. The BinaxNOW tests are intended to help local, state, and federal public health experts identify new cases and better understand how the virus is spreading in our communities.

For more information about the BinaxNOW tests, please visit https://covidresponse.wisc.edu/testing/ or email covidresponse@vc.wisc.edu.