City of Milwaukee Weekly COVID-19 Update

MILWAUKEE – The disease burden in the City of Milwaukee this week declined to 313.5 new positive COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people over seven days and remains in the “excessive transmission” category. The percentage of positive COVID-19 tests decreased once again to 8.6% and remains in the “substantial transmission” category.

“We are experiencing a pandemic of the unvaccinated,” said Milwaukee Health Commissioner Kirsten Johnson. “While breakthrough cases of vaccinated individuals can still occur, we know the COVID-19 vaccine provides effective protection against spreading the virus, as well as serious illness, hospitalization, and death. It’s time for the community to come together and encourage all residents 12 years of age and older to receive their vaccine.”

Currently, in the City of Milwaukee, 56.2% of adults over the age of 16 are fully vaccinated and 61.7% have received at least their first dose.

The Milwaukee Health Department’s COVID-19 vaccine initiative program wrapped up on Tuesday, September 28 after distributing one thousand $100 U.S. Bank gift cards to Milwaukee residents who received their first vaccine dose at the Northwest Health Center and Southside Health Center in only five days.

On Tuesday, September 28, under CDC and Wisconsin DHS guidance, the Milwaukee Health Department began administering booster doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at the Northwest and Southside Health Centers for eligible individuals.

DHS recommends that the following populations should receive a booster dose of Pfizer at least 6 months after receiving their second dose of Pfizer in order to further strengthen their immunity:

• People 65 years and older
• All residents in long-term care
• People ages 50–64 years with certain underlying medical conditions

DHS recommends that the following populations may receive a booster dose of Pfizer at least six months after receiving their second dose of Pfizer vaccine, after considering their individual risks and benefits:

• People ages 18–49 years with certain underlying medical conditions.
• People ages 18–64 years who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of their job or institutional settings. Occupations at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission include front line essential workers and health care workers.

More information regarding booster eligibility can be found in DHS’s official guidance.

The new drive-through COVID-19 testing site will not open on Monday, October 4, as previously anticipated. The Milwaukee Health Department continues to work through the legal process of moving into the identified location and hopes to have an update to announce next week. In the interim, the staff at the Northwest Health Center and Southside Health Center have been able to effectively handle the demand of COVID-19 testing. More information about these testing sites can be found at Milwaukee.gov/COVIDtesting.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.