EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) – A large group of Wisconsin residents will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, the Department of Health Services in Wisconsin announced Thursday.
Included in the new group are individuals with medical conditions associated with an increased risk of serious diseases of COVID-19, 16 and older. Medical conditions included in the new fitness group are:
- 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)
“It is based on the best evidence we have about the medical conditions that make someone more vulnerable to serious illness or death,” said Julie Willems Van Dijk, deputy secretary of DHS.
The eligible group will be able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine from 29 March. This does not mean that everyone who qualifies will be vaccinated immediately.
‘Please be patient. “Although we know that people are eligible, it will take a while during the months of April and early May to reach all the groups,” said Lieske Giese, director of the health department in Eau Claire.
According to a release by the DHS, more than 2 million Wisconsin residents are eligible for this announcement.
Depending on the amount of vaccines available, the DHS says it expects the general population in Wisconsin to be eligible sometime in May.
Due to the large number of eligible individuals, the DHS adds that providers in places where the vaccine is in short supply may prefer individuals who are considered a greater risk among the fitness groups.
“Healthcare providers may need to under-prioritize among these groups and may consider factors as people with severe or unstable conditions, racial or ethnic groups, the elderly or people with multiple conditions,” said Willems Van Dijk.
One local supplier will not downplay Group 1C. Prevea Health’s chief medical officer, dr. Ken Johnson, said it was too difficult to determine which of the listed medical conditions deserved priority status.
‘If I examine the list of medical conditions that are now eligible on March 29, it will be very difficult to determine which of the people should get vaccinated in what order, so that we will continue to give vaccination on the basis of who the state says eligible. and who then reports, ”he said.
Marshfield Clinic said they still need to prioritize people who are on their waiting list to be vaccinated.
Mayo Clinic said it has not yet decided how it will prioritize people who fall into 1C.
Giese said the Eau Claire City-County Department of Health will not prioritize people in 1C for its vaccine clinics, but its focus is currently on vaccinating teachers.
Johnson, however, said eligible people should not wait to sign up for an appointment.
“As long as there are slots available, I think it’s important that we give every dose of vaccine I have available,” he said. “So I do not want to come at the end of the week and have 500 shots that I did not give because people were waiting.”
Johnson said the number of appointments and what vaccine people get at Prevea Health is determined by what the state provides each week.
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