Some Wisconsin counties are filling ‘harm reduction vending machines’ with flu tests

In the midst of an intense flu season, some Wisconsin counties are stocking “public health vending machines” with free flu tests. 

Kenosha County Public Health began stocking vending machines with COVID-19 and flu tests this month. 

Harm reduction vending machines have been popping up across Wisconsin in recent years. They are typically filled with Narcan — a lifesaving drug that reverses opioid overdoses — and fentanyl test strips. Some counties are broadening its public health impact by adding flu testing kits and winter supplies.

Many machines are funded through a national legal settlement finalized in 2022 over the role of drug makers, distributors and pharmacies in the opioid crisis. The litigation gave Wisconsin $780 million in total funding through 2038. 

Since then the state Department of Health Services has distributed funds across the state. In 2023, the agency began awarding municipalities and health departments grants to install public health vending machines.

This included Outagamie County where residents can grab seasonal health kits and even winter supplies like a neck gaiter or gloves.

In Crawford County, “one stop health boxes” supply residents with free health supplies including flu tests. Health officials added them to vending machines along with COVID-19 tests starting last respiratory season. 

Julie Dabrowski is the communication support coordinator for Crawford County Health and Human Services. She said the program gives residents affordable and accessible health care.

“We do have vending machines on all corners of our county,” Dabrowski said. “So even in some of the most rural areas, they can have access to these products that they wouldn’t be able to unless they went into the city.”

Flu tests in vending machines also allow residents to figure out what treatment to seek while protecting the health of others.

“We thought that would be a great idea, since people need to know whether or not they have COVID, flu A or flu B,” Dabrowski said. 

Near Milwaukee, the Southwest Suburban Health Department provides flu test kits at four public health machines across West Allis and Greenfield. Milwaukee County has 19 harm reduction vending machines distributed throughout, but none have flu test kits. 

Lindsey Page is the infectious disease program director at the City of Milwaukee Health Department. She said public health vending machines can make flu testing and other resources more accessible and convenient.

“(It) benefits workers and caregivers and students who may not be able to make it to a health care facility during business hours,” Page said.

She said it has been a “really rough flu season” and more widespread testing would help.

“Early testing leads to early action,” Page said. “Flu symptoms can look like many other different respiratory illnesses, and testing can help confirm what someone actually has.”

Milwaukee County has seen over 530 flu-related hospitalizations. That’s already more than last flu season’s peak.

Flu cases are surging across the country after the holiday season. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported that 45 states, including Wisconsin, have high or very high flu activity.