Wisconsin Gov. Evers Bumps Up COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility A Week

MILWAUKEE, WI – Less than a week after deciding that Wisconsin residents with certain medical conditions would be eligible for the coronavirus vaccines on March 29, Gov. Tony Evers moved eligible candidates up on the calendar by a week.

Evers announced Tuesday that people aged 16 and up who live with some pre-existing conditions will now be able to be vaccinated on March 22, the governor’s office said. In making more residents eligible for shots earlier, Evers cited Wisconsin’s success rate in getting doses of the vaccines made available to more people faster than is happening in other places around the country.

Evers announced last week that the same population group could begin getting vaccinated on March 29.

“Our vaccinators across the state are doing great work to get people vaccinated and get this done,” Evers said Tuesday. “Because of their great work, Wisconsin continues to be a national leader in getting shots in arms. Moving up the eligibility for this critical group will help us get over the finish line and sooner and get us back to our Wisconsin way of life.”

The announcement from the governor came on a day when 480 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus were announced across Wisconsin as well as three additional COVID-19 deaths, according to state health officials. The new cases take the statewide total to 570,412 since the pandemic began last year – a time in which 6,539 people have died. As of Monday, the state's positivity rate stood at 2.1 percent.

As of Tuesday, more than 2 million doses of the vaccines have been administered while another 316,790 doses are in transit, health officials said.

People living with the following conditions will be eligible to receive the vaccines beginning March 22:

• Moderate to severe asthma
• Cancer
• Cerebrovascular disease
• Chronic kidney disease
• COPD
• Cystic fibrosis
• Down syndrome
• Heart condition (such as heart failure, coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathies
• High blood pressure or hypertension
• A weakened immune system
• Liver disease
• Dementia
• Obesity (body mass index of 30-39 kg)
• Overweight (Body mass index 25-29 kg)
• Pregnancy
• Severe obesity (Body mass index 40 kg or higher)
• Sickle cell disease
• Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes
• Thalassemia

State health officials encouraged people to become vaccinated when they are eligible and Evers said Tuesday that by adding more people to the eligibility list for the vaccines, Wisconsin is preparing to “turn the corner” on the coronavirus pandemic, which he said the state is ready to “kick to the curb.”

State health officials are citing the effectiveness of all three COVID-19 vaccines as reasons for residents to get the shots when they are able. President Joe Biden announced last week that every American will be eligible to receive the vaccines no later than May 1.

"All three COVID-19 vaccines available are incredibly safe and effective at preventing infection, serious illness, and death. These vaccines are saving lives. That is why we are committed to ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to get protected against the virus," DHS Interim Secretary Karen Timberlake said in a statement last week. "We are continuing to accelerate our pace, getting more shots in arms each week. Together with our vaccinator partners across the state, we are helping those at higher risk of exposure or more vulnerable to severe infection get a COVID-19 vaccine."