Weekly Update: February 14, 2022
How to Support Children’s Well-Being through COVID-19 Grief
From deaths of loved ones to loss of rituals and routines, children and youth have experienced many types of loss during the pandemic. Attending to a young person’s grief helps them heal and become healthier and more resilient moving forward.
The Wisconsin Office of Children’s Mental Health announced the publication of a new fact sheet Supporting Child Well-Being through COVID-19 Grief detailing what our parents, schools, communities, and policymakers can do to make a difference.
For more information on issues and topics affecting children's mental health in Wisconsin see these fact sheets.
Equitable Recovery Grants Awarded to Help Communities Disproportionately Affected by the Pandemic
On Friday, Gov. Tony Evers announced more than $82 million in grants through the Equitable Recovery Grant Program have been awarded to support community-based organizations working to increase equity and eliminate disparities in communities disproportionately affected by the pandemic statewide.
Part of a nearly $650 million investment allocated by the governor for community building and recovery efforts statewide, the Equitable Recovery Program was first announced in April 2021 and has provided more than $50 million to fund health, early childhood, and education services or programming, with an additional more than $31 million going to support organizations providing economic support, housing, and environmental justice services.
Wisconsinites can visit BadgerBounceback.wi.gov to view pandemic-related assistance information for families, farmers, businesses, organizations, and communities, as well as the latest data and success stories about how COVID-relief investments are making a difference across the state. For updates on other recovery-related grant opportunities, sign up for the Badger Bounceback update list.
Black History Month Spotlight:
 In honor of Black History Month, throughout the month of February DHS is celebrating Black medical pioneers who have shaped health care and changed the face of medicine in America. Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler was the first Black woman to earn a medical degree. She was also among the first African Americans to write a medical publication. Visit BlackHistoryMonth.gov to find ways to celebrate, learn, and honor.
And while we spend this time to celebrate, we also acknowledge that the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted Black communities across Wisconsin.
To see the data, visit the COVID-19: Racial and Ethnic Disparities page. And to learn more about how DHS is working to center equity in our work to reduce health disparities, visit the DHS Office of Health Equity home page. The best way to stop the spread of COVID-19 is get your free vaccination and booster, wear a mask in public indoor spaces, and get tested if you have been exposed or are feeling sick.
Ask your Doctor if New COVID-19 Medications Could Work for You!
 Wisconsin continues to receive allocations of oral antivirals as well as sotrovimab monoclonal antibody to treat patients diagnosed with mild to moderate COVID-19. Wisconsin also receives allocations of Evusheld, a monoclonal antibody treatment used for prevention of COVID-19 in people unlikely to produce an immune response to COVID-19 vaccination. If you are likely to get seriously ill from COVID-19, your health care provider may recommend one of these treatments authorized for use by the Food and Drug Administration.
If your provider tells you that you are eligible, we encourage you to take these medications. They have a good track record of keeping people out of the hospital.
If you feel sick, please get tested, and follow your doctor’s advice on the best course of treatment for you, which may include one of these medicines. And remember, vaccination is still the best way to protect yourself from COVID-19.
To learn more about COVID-19 treatments and medications, visit the DHS website.
ICYMI: Recent COVID-19 News Releases
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