Wisconsin Department of Health Services Digital Updates

COVID-19 Response and Vaccination Update

Wisconsin Department of Health Services sent this bulletin at 05/09/2022 05:00 PM CDT

COVID-19 Update

Weekly Update: May 9, 2022

May is Resilient Wisconsin Month

Resilient Wisconsin is our effort to build a state where all Wisconsinites, regardless of who they are or where they live, have the support and resources they need to overcome adversity and build a stronger, healthier, and more connected future for themselves and their communities more effectively.

Governor Evers has proclaimed May 2022 as Resilient Wisconsin Month. Taking care of yourself, your friends, and your family can help you cope with the day-to-day challenges of life. Take time this month to learn how individuals and communities can thrive by staying connected and building strength. This month and every month, we want Wisconsinites to know that it is not only okay to ask for help, but that help is available to them. Visit the Resilient Wisconsin webpages on the DHS website for more information.

Updated Travel and Mask Recommendation

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) published a statement recommending that everyone aged 2 and older – including passengers and workers – properly wear a well-fitting mask or respirator over the nose and mouth in indoor areas of public transportation (such as airplanes, trains, etc.) and transportation hubs (such as airports, stations, etc.).

When people properly wear a well-fitting mask or respirator, they protect themselves and those around them, and help keep travel and public transportation safer for everyone. Wearing a well-fitting mask or respirator is especially important to protect your health, and the health of those around you, in crowded or poorly ventilated locations, such as airport jetways.

This updated public health recommendation is based on the currently available data, including an understanding of COVID-19's currently circulating variants and their impact on disease severity and vaccine effectiveness, current trends in COVID-19 Community Levels within the United States, and projections of COVID-19 trends in the coming months.

Along with staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and avoiding crowds, wearing a well-fitting mask or respirator is one of the steps that people can take to protect themselves and others in travel and transportation settings.

Know Your COVID-19 Community Level

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services continues to monitor the spread and impact of COVID-19 statewide, using the CDC Community Levels to help us understand the current risk COVID-19 poses to our community and determine the prevention steps people should take to protect their own health and the health of others. This map is updated weekly. Check out the DHS website on Friday mornings for the latest information.

In Wisconsin, 17 counties are currently designated as having a medium COVID-19 Community Level, which means that new cases of COVID-19 are increasing, and that hospitalizations of people with COVID-19 in these areas has increased and is having some impact on local health care systems.

All Wisconsinites, including those living and working in counties that are currently at low COVID-19 Community Levels, can take simple precautions today to help prevent the spread and drive our COVID-19 levels down.

Regardless of where you live, the CDC and DHS recommend that everyone stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccines, get tested if they have symptoms, and stay home if they are feeling sick. It is also recommended that everyone continue to wear a mask around others and get tested for COVID-19 if they are experiencing symptoms or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19. We urge all Wisconsinites to continue using a combination of COVID-19 prevention strategies that will allow us to continue with our daily lives while keeping community members safe and healthy.

COVID-19 Treatments Now Available Throughout State

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) issued an update to health care providers statewide regarding the availability of COVID-19 treatments. The medications, Paxlovid and Lagevrio (molnupiravir), are proven to reduce hospitalizations and deaths for patients, by as much as 88% with Paxlovid, and are now widely available across Wisconsin.

Wisconsinites with symptoms of COVID-19 are urged to test as soon as possible and talk to their health care provider to see if any one of the approved COVID-19 treatments will be right for them. Remember, these treatments do not replace the need to stay up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines. Vaccines and boosters are the most effective way to prevent severe illness that may require hospitalization if you get COVID-19.

Individuals must have a prescription from a health care provider or designated Test-to-Treat site to get these treatments. Paxlovid (for people age 12 and older) and Lagevrio (for people age 18 and older) are recommended for individuals with mild to moderate COVID-19 illness who:

Have tested positive for COVID-19.
Are at high risk for severe COVID-19 illness, hospitalization, or death.
Can start treatment within 5 days of symptom onset.

Your health care provider or a Test-to-Treat site can determine if these treatments are right for you. Oral antiviral pills can be accessed at retail pharmacies across the state. To find locations near you, see the treatments locator map.

Vaccine Information:

Staying Up to Date with Vaccines

Check out the latest data on Wisconsin’s vaccination effort. DHS updates provider data every Tuesday, and the administered number is updated every weekday at 2 p.m.

Being up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines ensures you have the best protection possible against severe illness, hospitalization, and death.

To be up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines, you will need to be fully vaccinated and get a booster dose when eligible.

The primary series includes two doses of Moderna or Pfizer or one dose of Johnson & Johnson.
People who are moderately to severely immunocompromised should get an additional primary dose for the best protection.
Everyone 12 years and older should get a booster dose to stay up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines and boost protection against COVID-19.

Keeping Wisconsin Kids Healthy

Even though children and teens are usually very healthy, kids are at risk for serious COVID-19 illness and can spread the virus to others—even if they don’t have symptoms. The COVID-19 vaccine is available for ages 12 and up. DHS encourages parents and guardians to talk with your child’s health care provider and protect the kids in your life wherever they live, play, and learn. Because COVID-19 is still spreading in our communities, all of us have a role to play in keeping Wisconsin children healthy and safe. For resources to support your family’s health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic, visit the COVID-19 Resources for Parents and Guardians page.

Testing Information:

If you are feeling ill or if you may have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, using a COVID-19 self-test is a safe and highly effective method for detecting COVID-19 infection.

Self-tests can be purchased at local pharmacy or retail stores, and each U.S. household is eligible to receive 2 sets every 30 days of free COVID-19 self-tests at COVID.gov.

In addition to at-home self-tests, community testing sites remain accessible across Wisconsin. Find a site near you by dialing 211 or visiting the DHS Community Testing information page.

Reminder: Turn on Your Wisconsin Exposure Notification App

WI Exposure Notification is a smartphone app that uses Bluetooth Low Energy technology to help stop the spread of COVID-19 in Wisconsin. 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 anonymous alert using the app to those other phones. This will allow people who are close contacts to quickly get the care they need and avoid exposing others to the virus.

The app is available for download from the Google Play Store or can be enabled in Settings on your iPhone. Remember, if you test positive for COVID-19, use the notification in the app to alert others who have been in close contact with you.

For more information on the Wisconsin Exposure Notification App, please see our webpage.

ICYMI: Recent COVID-19 News

Office of Children’s Mental Health and Wisconsin Teens Create Social Media Campaign Focused on Connection

COVID-19 by the Numbers

• Cases
• Deaths
• Disease Activity
• Race and Ethnic Disparities
• Vaccine

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.