Wisconsin’s Vaccine Priority Criticizes: ‘Real Disappointment’
Another flurry of Wisconsin residents may soon receive their COVID-19 vaccine shots. There is already increasing confusion and criticism about who should prioritize health officials according to the new groups.
BROOKFIELD, Wis. – Another golf resident from Wisconsin will soon be eligible to receive their COVID-19 vaccine shots.
There is already increasing confusion and criticism about who should be preferred by health officials according to the new groups.
While life turned upside down when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Sarah Knowles remained patient.
“We were confined to the house, and we made the best of it,” Knowles said.
When Knowles learned this week that her son, Matthew, may have to wait another month to get the COVID-19 vaccine, her patience ran out.
“We had this big date on March 1st to look forward to, and now all of a sudden, we don’t have a fixed appointment,” Knowles said.
Sarah Knowles with her son Matthew
As of March 1, vaccine admission extends to Wisconsin residents enrolled in long-term Medicaid programs, such as Matthew, who has cerebral palsy and a cognitive impairment. Shots will also be available for people in education, essential jobs faced in public and living environments.
“Based on current grant numbers, it will take about two months to vaccinate these groups,” said Julie Willems Van Dijk, deputy secretary of the Department of Health Services in Wisconsin.
With insufficient vaccine provision for all, the state instructs vaccinators to prioritize school and child care staff.
“These other groups in this fitness phase are definitely not forgotten,” said Willems Van Dijk.
To Knowles, however, people like her son seem to be forgotten.
“The Medicaid long-term care group has a much greater chance of hospitalization,” Knowles said.
Knowles initially planned to have Matthew vaccinated by the local health department next week. Now he can not get a chance.
“They just said, thank you for being a lawyer for your son, and we’m sorry we can not change the order,” Knowles said.
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This creates more frustration for the Knowles family and so many others who feel they have been patient long enough.
“Prioritizing one group over another, with literally three or four days to go, was a real disappointment,” Knowles said.
Knowles said Matthew’s doctor with Froedtert is also unable to get him for the vaccine next week because Froedtert is still working through the 65-and-older patients.