Wisconsin Health Officials Unveil COVID-19 Vaccine Provider Map

WISCONSIN — State health officials on Friday unveiled an interactive map that alerts residents where they can go to receive the coronavirus vaccine when they become eligible in an attempt to improve the transparency involving the process of getting shots in more arms across Wisconsin.

The map, which is available on the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website, also identifies where the vaccines are being distributed across the state and when, health officials announced. The online tool is designed to help residents connect with partners in their communities in order to ease the process of knowing where they can go to receive the vaccines and which parts of the population each site is serving.

As of Friday, more than 1.3 million doses of the coronavirus vaccines have been administered to residents. Health officials estimate that more than half of Wisconsin residents over the age of 65 have received at least one dose. Eligibility for the vaccines is set to expand to more residents on Monday, including teachers and child care workers, health officials announced recently.

Vaccinations continue across Wisconsin where 656 new confirmed case of the coronavirus were announced Friday by state health officials. Five new COVID-19 related deaths were also announced. Since the pandemic began nearly a year ago, 562,807 Wisconsin residents have tested positive for the coronavirus while 6,399 people have died. As of Thursday, the state's positivity seven-day average was at 2.3 percent. A total of 59 new people have been hospitalized because of COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, health officials said.

That group is also scheduled to include those residents who are already enrolled in Medicaid in long-term care programs as well as some public-facing essential workers, non-frontline essential health care workers and residents and staff members at congregate living facilities.

“Wisconsin continues to make great strides in vaccinating people all across the state,” DHS Interim Secretary Karen Timberlake said in a news release. “We want to provide as many options as possible for people who are currently eligible to access COVID-19 vaccine. This map will help to illustrate those options.”

Health officials said that the map displays where coronavirus vaccine providers are located as well as community-based vaccination clinics that have been established. The sites are designated by a color coding system which indicates whether the sites are open to all eligible residents, only open to certain groups or if the various sites are targeting their own patients, health officials said.

Map users are able to pinpoint specific contact information for each site and groups that are included in that particular location. Health officials announced Friday that the map will be updated every two weeks with data that is reported by each provider. Officials said that because of the limited updates, amounts of the vaccines available at each site may be different than data that is showing.

The map was introduced a week after the state health department unveiled a new website that connects residents with available doses of the vaccine, which is set to launch on Monday. The online hub informs residents where they can get vaccinated and provides them the ability to make an appointment on the site. Gov. Tony Evers said the registry will be vital in getting residents across Wisconsin vaccinated. The governor warned, however, that it does not guarantee that the vaccine will suddenly be available to everyone.

"It is important to remember that the vaccine supply in Wisconsin is extremely limited and that most people will not be able to get appointments to be vaccinated right away," Evers said.

Still, more people are getting shots daily and the state has been averaging giving about Wisconsin is averaging 30,763 doses a day over the last seven days , state health officials announced Thursday.

Still, health officials acknowledge the public’s frustration of not being able to be vaccinated as quickly as many would like.

Health officials announced on Feb. 15 a $6.1 million investment to support community-based organizations in raising awareness and access to COVID-19 vaccine among communities that have faced both historical and current barriers to health care services and the COVID-19 vaccine. $3.1 million of the investment will fund efforts to activate organizations to serve as trusted messengers to build vaccine confidence and reduce barriers that may impede vaccinations in urban and rural areas.

All sites listed on the map unveiled Friday require appointments and availability is not guaranteed.