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Today we highlight a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story about Wisconsin’s relatively slow pace of delivering COVID-19 vaccinations.
“Wisconsin lags nearly all of its Midwest counterparts in getting its health care workers and first responders vaccinated against COVID-19 and has received fewer doses than other states of its size,” report Molly Beck, Mary Spicuzza and Bob Dohr.
Wisconsin trails nine of 12 Midwest states in the per capita rate of delivering a first vaccine dose, the reporters note, citing U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.
The reporters add: “If implemented widely, the vaccine could revive the state’s economy and save thousands of lives. But the state’s rollout is faltering — some health care providers say they haven’t even been told when they’ll receive their doses.”
Top Stories
‘Bizarre, disorganized’: Wisconsin behind most of Midwest on COVID-19 vaccinations; some health care workers say they’re in the dark — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
“I was not going to run”: Why a Wisconsin health care provider became a politician — Spectrum News 1
Republicans move ahead with COVID-19 bill that faces likely veto — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Priority categories for COVID-19 vaccine not cut and dried — WPR
DWD hopes to start paying new $300 unemployment supplement In ‘next few weeks’ — WPR
Nursing homes getting COVID-19 vaccinations, assisted living homes up next — Beloit Daily News
No new Alice: Wisconsin scuttles ag ambassador competition amid pandemic fears — Wisconsin State Journal
What are we missing? And how are you coping? Help us provide critical information and accountability by filling out this form or emailing us at tips@wisconsinwatch.org.
Quotable
“The current conversation regarding re-opening school is all about how closed schools are hurting the most vulnerable students — Black students, Latinx students, English Language Learners, poor students, and students with disabilities. But, in truth, the parents clamoring the most about opening schools are the parents of the most privileged children.”
Gloria Ladson-Billings, an education consultant and professor emerita in the School of Education, writing for Madison365
Data to note
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services on Tuesday reported the state had administered 85,609 doses of COVID-19 vaccine — 32% of the 266,675 doses shipped to the state.
DHS on Tuesday reported 95 new COVID-19 deaths from the virus, pushing the pandemic death toll to 4,979.
WisContext offers these visualizations of trends in COVID-19 infections, deaths, test-positivity rates and hospitalizations.
Calculate your exposure risk
In Wisconsin, even small gatherings can carry a big risk of exposure to the coronavirus, according to a nationwide tool that estimates the danger by the size of gathering and county in which it is held. Data scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Stanford University developed the tool, which you can find here.
Resilient Wisconsin
People helping others and showing resilience during this time of anxiety. Send suggestions by tagging us on social media — @wisconsinwatch — or emailing us: tips@wisconsinwatch.org.
Missy Hughes: For Wisconsin’s recovery, let’s resolve to apply the lessons of 2020 — Cap Times
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The nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism (wisconsinwatch.org) collaborates with Wisconsin Public Radio, PBS Wisconsin, other news media and the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by the Center do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates.
