Over half of Wisconsinites age 65 and up have begun vaccines

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Over half of Wisconsin residents age 65 and older have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and the state is on track to begin vaccinating teachers, child care workers and other eligible groups as planned Monday.

As of Friday, 521,354 people age 65 and up received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, representing 51.3% of that population, according to state data. When looking at all age groups, 14.9% of all Wisconsinites have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and 7.6% have received the full two-dose series of shots.

In addition to teachers, some of the newly eligible groups that could be vaccinated as early as Monday include public transit workers, utility workers and food supply chain workers — including retail food workers. State health officials say those age 65 and older should continue to be prioritized.

To help connect residents to vaccination sites, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services also unveiled an interactive online map that shows the state’s more than 500 vaccine providers, along with links to their websites.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, vaccine providers say they can administer more doses than they’re getting. State health officials say they expect to see a rise in vaccination supply in coming weeks. They expect that more Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are on the way and the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine will likely be approved.