DAVID WAHLBERG
People 65 and older in Wisconsin will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine starting Monday, the state Department of Health Services said Tuesday, as a portion of the general public gets its first chance for protection against the pandemic that has claimed more than 5,500 lives in the state and some 400,000 nationwide.
But with 700,000 older adults in Wisconsin and only about 70,000 first doses of the vaccine arriving weekly, seniors seeking shots at their medical clinics, local pharmacies and local health departments may initially face busy phone lines, lengthy waits and uncertain information on websites.
Still, those are the places they should turn to, along with community clinics that might be set up by next month with centralized registration, said Julie Willems Van Dijk, deputy director of the state health department.
Teachers, elderly, prisoners and others could get COVID-19 vaccine next in Wisconsin journaltimes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from journaltimes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
DAVID WAHLBERG
Fewer than 86,000 Wisconsin residents had been vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Tuesday â less than a fifth of those in top priority groups â leading Republican lawmakers to press Democratic Gov. Tony Evers for a speedier rollout as his administration said the effort is ramping up.
âWithout a transparent and efficient plan, the governor is repeating the mistakes he made with unemployment insurance,â state Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, said in a statement, referring to the struggle the state faced resolving a backlog of claims.
Secretary of Health Services Andrea Palm said more than 1,000 providers are registered to give the shots, up from fewer than 50 a month ago, and the state plans to start a mobile vaccination effort this month. The pace of vaccination depends in part on federal shipments, she said.
At-home COVID-19 testing now available in Wisconsin for free chippewa.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from chippewa.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.