City of Milwaukee Weekly COVID-19 Update

MILWAUKEE – The disease burden in the City of Milwaukee this week is 200.3 new positive COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people over seven days and remains in the “extreme transmission” category. The percentage of positive COVID-19 test results decreased to 9.0% and moved into the “substantial transmission” category. In comparison, four weeks ago the burden rate was 2,454.6 per 100,000 people and percentage of positive tests was 36.0%.

Currently, 62.6% of city of Milwaukee adults 16 years and older are fully vaccinated and 68.0% have received at least their first dose. Additionally, 44.3% of fully vaccinated individuals have received a booster dose. 14.1% of children ages 5 to 11 have completed their pediatric COVID-19 vaccine series and 20.6% have received at least one dose.

The COVID-19 vaccine $100 gift card incentive program, which launched on Thursday, February 3, concluded on Tuesday, February 8 after all 1,000 gift cards available were distributed to individuals who received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at any of the Milwaukee Health Department vaccination clinics.

“We are encouraged by the swift response from community members who took advantage of this incentive,” said Milwaukee Health Commissioner Kirsten Johnson. “I want to sincerely thank them for making the decision to prioritize their health and the health of their loved ones by getting vaccinated. Milwaukee still has a long way to go until our entire city is vaccinated, and I strongly encourage everyone to get their vaccine or booster dose as soon as they can.”

Data continues to highlight the importance of booster doses for fully vaccinated individuals. Recent studies from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention focusing on the Omicron variant show individuals who received two doses of an mRNA vaccine over six months ago were 57% protected against hospitalization from the virus. After receiving a booster dose, the effectiveness jumps to 90%. Additionally, adults who were unvaccinated had 5x higher risk of infection compared with adults who were fully vaccinated with a booster.

The Milwaukee Health Department continues working to bring vaccine to the entire Milwaukee community. COVID-19 vaccines are safe, free, and available without an appointment at the Northwest Health Center, Southside Health Center, and Menomonee Valley Site. Hours of operation for all three sites is at Milwaukee.gov/covidvax.

The vaccination clinics at Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) kicked off the second round of clinics on Wednesday, February 9. This schedule of vaccination clinics, which repeats the first round, will conclude on March 1. In total, 703 doses of COVID-19 vaccine were administered in first round of clinics. The MPS vaccination clinics are not limited to MPS students, faculty, and families. Any member of the public who needs a COVID-19 vaccine is welcome. The full schedule is available at Milwaukee.gov/covidvax.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.