DuPage closing COVID-19 testing site at the county fairgrounds

A COVID-19 testing site at the DuPage County Fairgrounds will close by the end of the month, while another testing facility in Villa Park will continue operating.

The drive-through testing site in Wheaton is shutting down to provide additional support for mass vaccination efforts as the county health department prepares for the next wave of inoculations.

The county remains in Phase 1a of the vaccine rollout, delivering first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccine to health care personnel. As of Tuesday, 43,935 vaccine doses have been administered in DuPage, Illinois Department of Public Health figures show. Nearly 12,000 people are fully vaccinated, or almost 1.3% of the county's population.

Testing personnel at the Wheaton site, meanwhile, have collected more than 56,000 samples since its June opening. The last scheduled day is set for Jan. 29.

"After careful consideration and a local assessment of testing resources, we are confident that DuPage County is well-equipped to continue meeting local COVID-19 testing needs for our residents," county health department Executive Director Karen Ayala said in a statement.

DuPage residents can still get tested at doctor's offices, urgent care facilities, pharmacies and mobile sites that offer nasal swab and saliva tests. The COVID-19 drive-through testing facility at the Odeum Expo Center in Villa Park will remain open, with the capacity to conduct up to 1,000 tests per day.

The Villa Park hours are Sunday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Residents don't need an appointment, doctor referral or insurance to receive a test, but they're encouraged to preregister at testdirectly.com to help reduce wait times.