ATTENTION: Important COVID-19 Vaccine Update!
(Walworth County press release – March 16) – Today, the Department of Health Services (DHS) moved up vaccine eligibility for Wisconsinites with certain medical conditions to Monday, March 22, 2021. Those groups can be found on the DHS COVID-19 vaccination page.
Banner note: Significantly, eligibility includes those whose BMI (body mass index) classifies them as “overweight,” or having “obesity.” This link provides a BMI calculator in which a person simply enters their height and weight. According to this site, approximately two-thirds of adults in Wisconsin fit this criteria.
Beginning March 22, individuals age 16 and older with certain medical conditions that have a greater risk of severe infection from COVID-19 will be eligible. The decision is based on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and supported by Wisconsin’s medical experts.
Eligibility includes individuals with the following conditions:
- Asthma (moderate-to-severe)
- Cancer
- Cerebrovascular disease (affects blood vessels and blood supply to the brain)
- Chronic kidney disease
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
- Cystic fibrosis
- Diabetes mellitus type 1 or 2
- Down syndrome
- Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies
- Hypertension or high blood pressure
- Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant, blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids, or use of other immune weakening medicines
- Liver disease
- Neurologic conditions, such as intellectual disabilities and dementia
- Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30-39 kg/m2)
- Overweight (BMI of 25-29 kg/m2)
- Pregnancy
- Pulmonary fibrosis (having damaged or scarred lung tissues)
- Severe Obesity (BMI 40 kg/m2 or more)
- Sickle cell disease
- Thalassemia (a type of blood disorder)
Individuals with these medical conditions will have multiple vaccination options, including through community-based clinics, health care providers, local health departments, and pharmacies.
Additionally, DHS updated eligibility to include all clergy, restaurant workers (as part of the food supply eligibility group) and further expanded public safety to include judges, prosecutors and district attorneys in addition to public defenders.
These doses will be for the Moderna 2-dose vaccine series, which requires anyone who schedules to be 18 years or older. You must live, work, or study in Wisconsin (a Walworth County relationship is not required.)
No Registration Required! Please use this link to schedule your appointment: https://walcophdose1.timetap.com. If you need assistance in scheduling, please call (262) 741-3400.
Banner note: Www.vaccinefinder.org is a site where users may enter their zip code to find locations where vaccine appointments may be available. One may, if desired, specify which of the three vaccines they prefer.
