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Wisconsin beginning on Jan. 25 will make COVID-19 vaccinations available to people 65 and older — kickstarting inoculations for the general public after previously prioritizing frontline healthcare workers, people in nursing homes and first responders, the state Department of Health Services announced Tuesday.
But reaching the state’s full population of 700,000 older adults will take some time and will depend on cooperation from the federal government. The state currently receives around 70,000 first-dose vaccines per week from federal officials.
“Older adults have been hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, and prioritizing this population will help save lives,” outgoing DHS Secretary-designee Andrea Palm said in a statement. “Wisconsin systems and operations are ready to vaccinate more people. The amount of vaccine we get from the federal government will determine how quickly we can get these groups vaccinated.”
Molly Beck and Daphne Chen have the full story for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Top Stories
Renters on verge of eviction may get more aid, housing advocates say — Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Wisconsinites 65 and older to get COVID vaccines starting Jan. 25 — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Fired pharmacist charged with trying to ruin vaccines — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
‘Disheartening’: Grocery workers fighting to be included in next phase of state vaccination plan — The Journal Times
Milwaukee leaders push for equal distribution of COVID vaccine in heavily impacted communities — TMJ4 News
Wisconsin zoos on protecting their animals from COVID-19, preventing next pandemic — WPR
Kenosha educator says husband died from virus after she contracted COVID-19 at school — Kenosha News
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Quotable
“While UW Health expects to start scheduling a limited number of newly eligible patients (ages 65 and older) this week, vaccine supply is still very low, and even those eligible for the vaccine may not be able to receive it for some time.”
— UW Health statement as reported by the Wisconsin State Journal
Data to note
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services offers this snapshot of the state’s progress on vaccinations.
WisContext offers these visualizations of Wisconsin COVID-19 infections, deaths and hospitalizations.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services on Tuesday reported a seven-day average of 43 new daily COVID-19 deaths. The state’s full COVID-19 death toll is 5,512
Public health officials continue to urge Wisconsinites to wear masks and practice physical distancing until vaccinations are more widely distributed.
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.
Wisconsin is among the nation’s leaders in the hunt to detect new, more dangerous COVID-19 variants like B.1.1.7 — USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
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