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Weekly Update: August 30, 2021
Join the over 3 million Wisconsinites who have done their part to protect themselves, their loved ones, and their community against COVID-19. To find a COVID-19 vaccine location in Wisconsin, visit Vaccines.gov or call 211 or 877-947-2211. As we continue to see cases of COVID-19 rise, it’s important that we all add layers of protection, like wearing masks and staying home when feeling sick.
Need Financial Support to Help Get Your COVID-19 Vaccine?
Many Wisconsinites face financial barriers to access the COVID-19 vaccine—factors like transportation, childcare, or the inability to take time off from work can make it difficult for many to get vaccinated. The $100 COVID-19 Vaccine Reward Program will provide some additional support to those wanting to get protected against COVID-19.
How can I get my $100 reward?
- Be at least 12 years of age
- Live in Wisconsin
- Get your first COVID-19 shot from a vaccine provider in Wisconsin, Michigan, or Minnesota between August 20, 2021 and September 6, 2021
- Request your $100 U.S. Bank Rewards Card at 100.wisconsin.gov or by calling 844-684-1064 (both the website and call center are available in English, Hindi, Hmong, Mandarin, Somali and Spanish).
 Cards will be mailed within 6-8 weeks. Learn how to get your $100 reward by visiting the DHS COVID-19 Vaccine Reward webpage or by calling 844-684-1064 (language assistance is available).
Keeping Kids Safe During Back to School
Cases of COVID-19 are continuing to rise in Wisconsin, as they are across the country, driven by the highly-infectious Delta variant. The Delta variant now represents almost all sequenced tests in Wisconsin. Despite this increase in cases, we can take steps to keep COVID-19 from spreading in our schools by following the latest guidance. Along with enrolling in the testing program, we strongly recommend all teachers, staff, and eligible students get vaccinated, everyone wear masks in indoor school settings, and districts and schools enroll in the K-12 School Testing Program.
As Wisconsin schools take these steps, DHS also urges Wisconsin families to take the steps necessary to protect themselves and their communities: mask up when indoors or outside where physical distancing is not possible, get vaccinated if you’re eligible (age 12 and over), and get tested and stay home if you’re experiencing any symptoms.
Looking for Back to School Resources? Here you go!
If you’re looking for help navigating the new school year, our new Back to School for Parents and Families webpage serves as a hub for families looking to learn more about routine childhood vaccinations, health and dental care access, COVID-19 prevention, other health-related conditions like asthma or diabetes, and mental health in children. We’ve got a checklist to help you prioritize the health and safety of your family, and check out the self-care section of the new webpage as well as Resilient Wisconsin to learn more about strategies and resources to support your own well-being.
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Know the Facts: Long COVID Condition
What is it? Long COVID is one type of post-COVID condition. Long COVID is sometimes called PASC (post-acute sequalae of SARS-CoV-2 infection) or long-term COVID-19. Some people with long COVID call themselves "long-haulers." People with long COVID experience new, returning, or ongoing symptoms long after they had COVID-19.
Who can get it? Anyone who had COVID-19 can get long COVID, even children, young adults, and those who were not very ill when they had COVID-19.
What are some symptoms? We are still learning about long COVID, but some common symptoms may include shortness of breath, chest pain, loss or change of smell or taste, tiredness or fatigue, cough, fever, and joint or muscle pain.
How can I protect myself and my family? The best and only way to avoid getting long COVID is to protect yourself against COVID-19. Get vaccinated, wear a mask, physically distance, and wash your hands frequently.
What should I do if I have long COVID? You can get medical care at Post-COVID Care Clinics throughout Wisconsin. You can also talk with your doctor or a health care provider about your long COVID symptoms. If you do not have health insurance or need help finding a doctor or mental health support, call or text 211.
 Learn more about long COVID and find support services if you are suffering from long-COVID: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/long-covid.htm
FDA Grants Full Approval to the Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted its full approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine will now be marketed under the name Comirnaty (koe-mir’-na-tee), for the prevention of COVID-19 disease in people 16 years of age and older. Pfizer is also still available under the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for people ages 12 to 15 and for an additional dose for people who are immunocompromised. The vaccine that received the FDA’s full approval is the same vaccine people have been getting for months.
For full approval of new drugs or vaccines, the FDA requires extensive data on safety and effectiveness, inspection of manufacturing facilities, and a comprehensive review of all clinical and “real-world” use. The full approval means that even more data were used to further confirm that the vaccine works and is safe. The COVID-19 vaccines are extremely effective at preventing serious illness, hospitalization, and death – even from the Delta variant.
 To learn more about vaccine safety, visit our COVID-19 vaccine safety webpage.
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Use your phone to slow the spread of COVID-19
The WI Exposure Notification app is available to download for free from the Google Play Store or enable in Settings on your iPhone. The more people who use the app, the faster we can stop the spread of COVID-19 in Wisconsin.
How does it work? Once you activate the app, your phone exchanges anonymous signals with other phones that are near it for at least 15 minutes. If somebody who has the app tests positive for COVID-19, they can then send an alert using the app to those other phones.
 Learn more about the app by visiting WI Exposure Notification App webpage.
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How to Access Your Immunization Record
Vaccination Card
First, your vaccination card has information on when and where you received your vaccine as well as other helpful information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. Keep your card in a safe place! When taking pictures or posting selfies about getting your COVID-19 vaccine, do not post photos of your vaccination card online to protect your health information. Do not laminate your vaccination card.
Access your COVID-19 vaccination record online
If you received your COVID-19 vaccination in Wisconsin, an electronic version of your vaccination record is available on the Wisconsin Immunization Registry (WIR). To access your record, you will need your first and last name, date of birth, and either Social Security number, Medicaid ID number, or health care member ID number.
Follow the links below to access the WIR public immunization records portal.
English - Public Immunization Record Access(link is external) Spanish - Acceso Publico del Registro de Inmunización(link is external) Hmong - Tshawb Nrhiav Txog Kev Txhaj Tshuaj Cov Ntaub Ntawv(link is external)
Follow the on-screen prompts and click the Search button. You will then be able to see, download, and print your vaccination record. If you do not see the record, or you receive an error message, call the provider or organization where you were vaccinated. They may be able to provide you with a member ID number to use in WIR.
To unlock your record or to have your record sent to you or a third party, use the Wisconsin Immunization Registry Record Release Authorization, F-02487 (PDF).
If you received your vaccination in another state, go to that state department of health’s website to search their vaccine registry.
Are You a School, Employer, or Event Organizer? Host an On-Site Vaccination Clinic!
Schools, faith-based, community-based organizations, or community events who want to hold an on-site clinic for a group of individuals ready to be vaccinated, can communicate their interest to DHS by filling out the vaccination clinic matching survey and learn more on the DHS COVID-19 vaccine partner resources webpage. Employers can also hold an on-site clinic for their employees and their families, visit our COVID-19: Businesses, Employers, and Workers webpage to sign up.
Reducing Barriers to Advance Equity through COVID-19 Vaccination
As part of our $6.2 million grant program to promote vaccine equity, local and tribal health departments, vaccinators, and community-based organizations are finding ways to ensure underserved and historically marginalized populations have the opportunity to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Here are a few examples of the work our partners are doing:
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Milwaukee Area Technical College will be hosting a vaccination clinic on August 31 from 3-6 p.m. at the Walker's Square Education Center at 816 W. National Ave.
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Partnership Community Health Center held another successful vaccination clinic in Menasha yesterday, in partnership with local community based organizations.
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Kenosha County Health Department has had two weeks of successful vaccination clinics in partnership with a site that provides day services for people experiencing homelessness.
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HealthNet of Rock County and Literacy Network have gotten recognition for their important work in a recent WPR article.
Vaccine Distribution Summary
Check out the latest data on Wisconsin’s vaccination effort. DHS updates the allocated numbers and provider data every Tuesday, and the administered number is updated every weekday at 2 p.m.
COVID-19 by the Numbers
Testing
If you are feeling ill or if you may have been exposed to someone that has tested positive for COVID-19, visit our testing page to learn the different ways you can get tested.
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COVID-19 Resources
Resilient Wisconsin
Resilient Wisconsin has information and resources to help you cope with challenging times. Access services such as hotlines, virtual support meetings, and more.
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Other Languages, Graphics, and Print Materials
DHS materials are available in multiple languages as electronic files you can view online or download and print. You can use these materials at home or for your business. Visit the DHS website to view what resources are available to you.
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Media Briefing
No media briefing held this week.
Social Media
Follow DHS on social media for the most up-to-date information on the COVID-19 response and vaccine rollout.
Newsletter
Looking for previous newsletters? To view past versions of this newsletter, visit the DHS website.
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