Weekly Update: December 6, 2021
To find a COVID-19 vaccine location in Wisconsin, visit Vaccines.gov or call 211 or 877-947-2211. As we continue to see high case activity throughout the state, it’s also important that we all add layers of protection, like getting vaccinated, getting your booster dose, wearing masks, and staying home when feeling sick.
We appreciate your continued diligence, and all you are doing to be safe and protect yourselves and others in your communities.
First Case of COVID-19 Omicron Variant Identified in Wisconsin
 On Saturday, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) detected the first case of the Omicron variant, in Wisconsin. The Omicron variant, classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a variant of concern (VOC), has been detected in the United States. Variants are classified as VOC if they show evidence of being more contagious, causing more severe illness, or resistance to diagnostic tools, current treatments, or vaccines.
This variant is a cause for concern but not a cause for panic. The best protection against this new variant, or any variant of COVID-19, is to get fully vaccinated and get a booster shot. If you are not vaccinated, now is the time to get vaccinated and to take your child to get vaccinated. Anyone ages 5 and older can get a free, safe, and effective vaccine now. If you are 18 and older and it has been at least six months since your second dose of Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, or at least two months since you got your Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, getting your booster shot will provide the best protection from COVID-19, including this new variant.
Vaccines reduce a virus’s ability to infect people. Vaccines provide protection against COVID-19 variants since many of the characteristics of the virus remain the same. The sooner people get vaccinated against COVID-19, the less opportunity we give the virus to keep mutating. To find a COVID-19 vaccine provider in your community, visit Vaccines.gov, or call 211 or 877-947-2211.
DHS also urges all Wisconsinites to take a layered approach to help slow the spread of COVID-19. People should continue to wear masks, avoid large gatherings, maintain good hand hygiene, and get vaccinated.
Hospitals in Wisconsin: What to Know
 Many Wisconsin hospitals are already operating at full capacity due to COVID-19. And this time of year we can expect hospitalizations to increase due to seasonal illness. It is important that you continue to seek medical care when you need it, and also to do your part by getting vaccinated against COVID-19 and the flu so we can protect our health care workers and preserve space in our hospitals for our friends, neighbors, loved ones, and even ourselves.
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.
Where to Get Your Booster Shot
DHS recommends that everyone ages 18 and older receive a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine following the completion of their primary series. If you are 18 years or older, you can get your COVID-19 booster dose:
- At least 6 months after you got your last dose of your Pfizer or Moderna primary vaccine series.
- At least 2 months after you got your Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.
You are able to receive your booster dose at any vaccine provider. You may return to the site where you received your primary series, or if there is a more convenient location elsewhere, that is ok too.
It is not necessary to get the same vaccine type as your primary series. We encourage you to take the booster dose that is available to you at the most convenient time and location for your schedule.
To find a COVID-19 vaccine provider in your community, visit Vaccines.gov, or call 211 or 877-947-2211.
For additional information about booster doses, additional doses, and help accessing your COVID-19 vaccine record to determine when you may be recommended for a booster, visit the DHS Additional Doses and Booster Doses webpage.
Tips for Talking About COVID-19 Vaccines
You may want to have a conversation about COVID-19 vaccines with your friends or family, but don’t know where to start. DHS has tips and examples to help you have an effective conversation with loved ones. To learn more, visit the COVID-19: Vaccines Conversations page.
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.
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