The Wisconsin Department of Health Services announced Tuesday it will accelerate opening COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to residents age 16 and older with certain medical conditions.Continuing Coverage: Coronavirus in WisconsinGov. Tony Evers announced the next group will now be eligible for the vaccine beginning March 22.The original date, announced last week, was March 29.”Our vaccinators across the state are doing great work to get folks vaccinated and get this done, and because of their good work, Wisconsin continues to be a national leader in getting shots in arms,” Evers said. “Moving up eligibility for this critical group will help us get over the finish line and sooner, and get us back to our Wisconsin way of life.”This eligibility group includes individuals with medical conditions associated with an increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Based on the recent and anticipated increases in vaccine availability, the DHS said it anticipates the general public will be eligible for the vaccine beginning May 1. The decision to expand eligibility to include individuals with certain medical conditions aligns with recommendations provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and was informed by work by the State Disaster Medical Advisory Committee and guidance from medical experts in DHS.The CDC’s recommendations reflect the best available evidence on conditions that are known to make individuals more vulnerable to severe complications due to COVID-19.The next eligibility group includes individuals age 16 and over with the following medical conditions:Asthma (moderate-to-severe)CancerCerebrovascular disease (affects blood vessels and blood supply to the brain)Chronic kidney diseaseCOPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)Cystic fibrosisDown syndromeHeart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathiesHypertension or high blood pressureImmunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant, blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids or use of other immune weakening medicinesLiver diseaseNeurologic conditions, such as dementiaObesity (body mass index of 30-39 kg/m2)Overweight (BMI of 25-29 kg/m2)PregnancyPulmonary fibrosis (having damaged or scarred lung tissues)Severe Obesity (BMI 40 kg/m2 or more)Sickle cell diseaseType 1 or 2 diabetes mellitusThalassemia (a type of blood disorder)Due to the limited supply of vaccine and with this next eligible group likely adding more than 2 million individuals in Wisconsin eligible for the vaccine, providers may need to prioritize individuals within this population who are at higher risk. Officials also clarified that members of the clergy, restaurant workers and public safety workers, like judges, prosecutors and public defenders, were also included in the group.Essential healthcare workers, nursing home staff, police, firefighters, teachers, those 65 and older and others remain eligible to receive the vaccine.Those prioritized individuals include individuals with severe medical conditions, those with two or more conditions, older adults or those living in communities that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. The DHS said every community is different, but everyone in the group will be eligible for the vaccine. Some vaccinators may ask people to sign a form attesting to their illness while others may just take people at their word. The DHS said it will continue to monitor vaccination coverage statewide and partner with vaccine providers in order to provide an updated vaccination timeline for the general public.Individuals with the outlined medical conditions can access the vaccine through a variety of options, including community-based clinics, health care providers, local and tribal health departments and pharmacies. Wisconsinites with a primary care provider may hear directly from their provider. Visit the Wisconsin COVID-19 vaccine options page or call the toll-free vaccine hotline at 1-844-684-1064 to learn more.In the meantime, officials said it was important to double down on ways to stop the spread of COVID-19 due to emerging strains of the virus. Wearing face masks, staying physically distant, washing hands and getting tested continue to be crucial tools for protecting communities against COVID-19. Individuals who are fully vaccinated can review recently released post-vaccination guidance on the DHS website. As of Monday, 23.1% of people in Wisconsin had received at least one dose of the vaccine, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 68% of people over age 65 had received at least one dose, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.Sign up for coronavirus email alerts from WISNGet breaking news alerts with the WISN 12 app.Follow us: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services announced Tuesday it will accelerate opening COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to residents age 16 and older with certain medical conditions.
Continuing Coverage: Coronavirus in Wisconsin
Gov. Tony Evers announced the next group will now be eligible for the vaccine beginning March 22.
The original date, announced last week, was March 29.
“Our vaccinators across the state are doing great work to get folks vaccinated and get this done, and because of their good work, Wisconsin continues to be a national leader in getting shots in arms,” Evers said. “Moving up eligibility for this critical group will help us get over the finish line and sooner, and get us back to our Wisconsin way of life.”
This eligibility group includes individuals with medical conditions associated with an increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
Based on the recent and anticipated increases in vaccine availability, the DHS said it anticipates the general public will be eligible for the vaccine beginning May 1.
The decision to expand eligibility to include individuals with certain medical conditions aligns with recommendations provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and was informed by work by the State Disaster Medical Advisory Committee and guidance from medical experts in DHS.
The CDC’s recommendations reflect the best available evidence on conditions that are known to make individuals more vulnerable to severe complications due to COVID-19.
The next eligibility group includes individuals age 16 and over with the following medical conditions:
- Asthma (moderate-to-severe)
- Cancer
- Cerebrovascular disease (affects blood vessels and blood supply to the brain)
- Chronic kidney disease
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
- Cystic fibrosis
- Down syndrome
- Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies
- Hypertension or high blood pressure
- Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant, blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids or use of other immune weakening medicines
- Liver disease
- Neurologic conditions, such as dementia
- Obesity (body mass index of 30-39 kg/m2)
- Overweight (BMI of 25-29 kg/m2)
- Pregnancy
- Pulmonary fibrosis (having damaged or scarred lung tissues)
- Severe Obesity (BMI 40 kg/m2 or more)
- Sickle cell disease
- Type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus
- Thalassemia (a type of blood disorder)
Due to the limited supply of vaccine and with this next eligible group likely adding more than 2 million individuals in Wisconsin eligible for the vaccine, providers may need to prioritize individuals within this population who are at higher risk.
Officials also clarified that members of the clergy, restaurant workers and public safety workers, like judges, prosecutors and public defenders, were also included in the group.
Essential healthcare workers, nursing home staff, police, firefighters, teachers, those 65 and older and others remain eligible to receive the vaccine.
Those prioritized individuals include individuals with severe medical conditions, those with two or more conditions, older adults or those living in communities that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
The DHS said every community is different, but everyone in the group will be eligible for the vaccine.
Some vaccinators may ask people to sign a form attesting to their illness while others may just take people at their word.
The DHS said it will continue to monitor vaccination coverage statewide and partner with vaccine providers in order to provide an updated vaccination timeline for the general public.
Individuals with the outlined medical conditions can access the vaccine through a variety of options, including community-based clinics, health care providers, local and tribal health departments and pharmacies.
Wisconsinites with a primary care provider may hear directly from their provider.
Visit the Wisconsin COVID-19 vaccine options page or call the toll-free vaccine hotline at 1-844-684-1064 to learn more.
In the meantime, officials said it was important to double down on ways to stop the spread of COVID-19 due to emerging strains of the virus.
Wearing face masks, staying physically distant, washing hands and getting tested continue to be crucial tools for protecting communities against COVID-19.
Individuals who are fully vaccinated can review recently released post-vaccination guidance on the DHS website.
As of Monday, 23.1% of people in Wisconsin had received at least one dose of the vaccine, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
More than 68% of people over age 65 had received at least one dose, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
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