Coronavirus

COVID-19 vaccines available to Afghans at Fort McCoy

Published

3 years ago

September 6, 2021

MADISON, Wis. (AP) Afghan refugees at Fort McCoy are being offered free COVID-19 vaccines one of many precautions being taken at the military base to prevent the spread of the virus.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security says all Afghans and U.S. residents coming from Afghanistan are tested for COVID when they first arrive to the U.S. and have the option to get a COVID-19 vaccine either at the airport or at Department of Defense facilities.

Fort McCoy is one of eight U.S. military bases that will temporarily house Afghans who have fled their country after the recent collapse of the government to the Taliban.

The base can host up to 13,000. As of Friday, 8,780 refugees had arrived.

On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin and Congressman Ron Kind are scheduled to visit the fort, leading a group of Democratic lawmakers. Senator Ron Johnson and some Republican legislators toured Ft. McCoy as a group in August.

Brad Williams

A native of Prairie du Chien, Brad graduated from UW - La Crosse and has worked in radio news for more than 30 years, mostly in the La Crosse area. He regularly covers local courts and city and county government. Brad produces the features "Yesterday in La Crosse" and "What's Buried on Brad's Desk." He also writes the website "Triviazoids," which finds odd connections between events that happen on a certain date, and he writes and performs with the local comedy group Heart of La Crosse. Brad been featured on several national TV programs because of his memory skills.