MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – The list of people in Wisconsin who are eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine has only grown longer, and the Department of Health Services has doubled the number of names on it.
The agency on Thursday released a list of 20 medical conditions, stating that anyone over the age of 16 living with at least one will be eligible for the vaccine on March 29.
Health officials explained that they prefer to prioritize these conditions because they are associated with a higher risk of serious diseases from COVID-19 and noted that the list is in line with the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“We appeal to those who are eligible and at greatest risk of being vaccinated, because every shot in the arm means we are one step closer to returning to our way of life in Wisconsin,” Governor Tony said. Evers said in a statement in which he said.
DHS estimates that this change will add more than two million people to the fitness list. This means that by the end of the month, the majority of Wisconsinites will be authorized to receive the vaccine.
With so many people being allowed to be vaccinated and the demand still exceeding the supply, health officials suggest that vaccine providers may need to prioritize who gets it. If they do, DHS recommends that providers focus on people with serious medical conditions or two or more of the listed conditions, older adults, or the communities affected disproportionately by the virus.
“We continue to accelerate our pace and get more strokes in our arms every week,” said DHS interim secretary Karen Timberlake. “Together with our vaccination partners across the state, we help those at higher risk for exposure or who are more vulnerable to serious infection, to get a COVID-19 vaccine.”
The agency noted that the vaccine will be available ‘sometime in May’ to anyone over the age of 16.
- 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 disease, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathy
- Hypertension or high blood pressure
- Immuno-compromised state (weakened immune system) due to solid organ transplantation, blood or bone marrow transplantation, immune deficiency, HIV, use of corticosteroids, or the use of other immunosuppressive drugs
- Liver disease
- Neurological conditions, such as dementia
- Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30-39 kg / m2)
- Overweight (BMI of 25-29 kg / m2)
- Pregnancy
- Pulmonary fibrosis (with damaged or scar tissue)
- Severe obesity (BMI 40 kg / m2 or more)
- Sickle cell disease
- Type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus
- Thalassemia (a type of blood disorder)
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