MADISON, WI (WSAU) — Department of Health Services officials have announced that 50.1% of Wisconsin residents have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, some six months after the first doses were administered.
Health officials say that equals about three million people who are considered fully vaccinated against the disease. Many of those are aged 65 and older- with 80% of that group fully vaccinated.
Central Wisconsin continues to lag behind those numbers with just over 44% having at least one dose and 40% considered fully vaccinated. In Clark and Taylor Counties those numbers are even smaller with only about one-quarter of residents considered fully vaccinated.
The first doses of vaccine were administered in mid-December- going to front-line healthcare workers before opening up to those age 65 and older in January. From there other groups were added every few weeks before all residents age 18 and older became eligible in March.
Vaccine rates have slowed in recent weeks and nearly every provider is now giving the shots on a walk-up basis with no appointment requred.
All COVID-19 vaccinations are free of charge with no insurance required.
