Governor Evers, DHS Mark the One-Year Anniversary of COVID-19 Vaccine Arriving in Wisconsin

Governor Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) are marking the one-year anniversary of the first COVID-19 vaccine administered in the state. Wisconsin first began administering the COVID-19 vaccine on December 14, 2020. In one year, over 6.8 million COVID-19 primary series doses have been administered to more than 3.5 million people. DHS has also made updates to the COVID-19 Vaccines for Wisconsin Residents dashboard to include data on vaccinations in the 5- to 11-year-old age group.

“Wisconsin has been a national leader of getting available shots in arms, and this work has been essential to keeping our kids, families, and communities healthy and safe so we can put this pandemic behind us,” said Governor Tony Evers. “We couldn’t have gotten here without the dedication of our vaccinators, partners, and Wisconsinites in every corner of our state. I thank everyone for their hard work and tireless efforts.”

Since December 2020, the state has mobilized the largest vaccination effort in its history to make COVID-19 vaccines available to all eligible Wisconsin residents. Over the past year, nearly 3,000 providers registered as vaccinators and more than 2,500 providers are actively administering vaccines currently. These providers have administered over 8 million COVID-19 vaccinations, including more than 1.2 million additional and booster doses. More than 67% of Wisconsin adults 18 years of age and older have been fully vaccinated, including 82% of Wisconsinites 65 years of age and older, and nearly 90,000 children ages 5-11 years have received their first dose in just six weeks after becoming eligible.

“We should be proud of how far we have come over the past year to reduce the impact of COVID-19 with the help of our local and tribal health departments, health care providers, pharmacies, and countless other partners,” said DHS Secretary-designee Karen Timberlake. “But the job isn’t finished yet. It is important that we continue to share information with everyone who is eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, especially as cases and hospitalizations continue to rise. We also need everyone 16 and older who is 6 months past their second Pfizer or Moderna vaccination, or 2 months past their Johnson and Johnson shot, to get a booster dose. Vaccine booster doses provide additional protection from COVID-19 as we head into the holiday season.”

DHS has supported large-scale community-based clinics across the state, including vaccination clinics in trusted community-based spaces like job sites, community centers, faith-based organizations, and schools. It also continues to support a vaccinator matching program to connect vulnerable populations with available vaccine. This effort has led to a number of school districts and organizations joining vaccination effort by hosting school-located vaccination clinics across the state, which have all seen great success. In an additional effort to promote vaccination in younger age groups, DHS continues to encourage health care provider to vaccinate children at their appointments, and offer vaccinations to all those who accompany them.

Wisconsin has demonstrated a strong commitment to advancing racial and geographic equity while reducing barriers to accessing the COVID-19 vaccine and provide much-needed relief to communities that have withstood the worst of the pandemic. Through two DHS Vaccination Community Outreach grant cycles, more than $14 million has been awarded to organizations across the state to promote health equity in COVID-19 vaccination throughout the state.

To find a COVID-19 vaccine provider in your community, including providers administering the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11, visit Vaccines.gov(link is external), or call 211 or 877-947-2211. Parents and guardians can learn more by visiting the COVID-19: Resources for Parents and Guardians webpage or by calling 844-684-1064 toll-free. For additional information about booster doses, additional doses, and help accessing your COVID-19 vaccine record to determine when you may be recommended for a booster, visit the DHS Additional Doses and Booster Doses webpage.

For up-to-date information about Wisconsin’s COVID-19 response, visit the DHS COVID-19 webpage. We encourage you to follow @DHSWI on Facebook(link is external), Twitter(link is external), or dhs.wi on Instagram(link is external) for more information on COVID-19.

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.