Wisconsin Department of Health Services Digital Updates

COVID-19 Response and Vaccination Update

Wisconsin Department of Health Services sent this bulletin at 05/23/2022 05:00 PM CDT

COVID-19 Update

Weekly Update: May 23, 2022

DHS Recommends COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Doses to Everyone 5 Years of Age and Older

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) supports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommendation that children ages 5 through 11 years should receive a booster dose 5 months after their initial Pfizer-BioNTech (Pfizer) COVID-19 vaccination series. With this recommendation, DHS and CDC now recommend COVID-19 vaccine booster doses to everyone 5 years of age and older. The CDC also recently strengthened another booster recommendation, encouraging people 12 and older who are moderately or severely immunocompromised, and people 50 and older to get a second COVID-19 booster dose.

“The recommendation of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine booster dose for 5 through 11-year-olds provides parents with an excellent opportunity to ensure their children receive additional protection from COVID-19 prior to summer activities,” said DHS Secretary-designee Karen Timberlake. “We encourage everyone 5 and older to join the more than 2 million Wisconsinites who have already gotten their booster or additional COVID-19 vaccine doses. Staying up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines is the best protection for preventing the worst outcomes from this virus.”

The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is the only vaccine authorized and recommended for 5- to 17-year-olds for the primary series and booster doses at this time. DHS strongly recommends that everyone who is eligible to get a booster should get one as soon as possible. Booster doses can strengthen and extend protection against infection, serious illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19.

Anyone in Wisconsin can get vaccinated at no cost – even if they do not have insurance or their insurance does not cover COVID-19 vaccination. 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.

COVID-19 Cases and Hospitalizations Continue to Rise

As DHS continues to monitor an increase in the spread and impact of COVID-19 across the state, DHS recommends that Wisconsinites know their COVID-19 Community Level and take additional precautions against COVID-19 to protect health and save lives.

DHS continues to track the impact of COVID-19 using CDC’s COVID-19 Community Levels, which are based on the number of new cases and hospital capacity. As of May 19, 2022, CDC data indicate 18 Wisconsin counties have moved into the “high” COVID-19 Community Level Category: Kenosha; Racine; Milwaukee; Waukesha; Ozaukee; Washington; Vernon; LaCrosse; Wood; Marathon; Lincoln; Monroe; Barron; Rusk; Sawyer; Ashland; Bayfield; and Douglas. In addition, 35 Wisconsin counties are experiencing a medium COVID-19 Community Level, and 19 are experiencing a low COVID-19 Community Level. Residents in counties with a high COVID-19 Community Level are recommended to wear a well-fitting mask or respirator in public indoor settings, regardless of vaccination status.

In addition, DHS urges all Wisconsinites to take the following actions:

Know the COVID-19 Community Level where you live or are traveling to and follow the associated guidelines.
Stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccines by getting all recommended vaccines and booster doses.
Get tested for COVID-19 if you have symptoms or were exposed to someone with COVID-19.
Stay home if you are sick or test positive for COVID-19 and talk to a health care provider or visit a community clinic to ask about available treatments. For free, confidential assistance finding a doctor or community clinic near you, dial 211.

Individuals who have symptoms of COVID-19, have tested positive, or were exposed to someone with COVID-19 should continue to follow isolation and quarantine recommendations.

To find the latest guidance for your community, visit COVID.gov.

WisCaregiver Careers is Expanding its CNA Training and Mentoring Program

Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) have announced a $6 million investment to expand the successful WisCaregiver Careers workforce development program. The program was launched to address the shortage of Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) in Wisconsin nursing homes.

The $6 million investment, funded through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Nursing Home & Long-term Care Facility Strike Team program, will expand the current program including recruiting qualified employers to host as many as 3,000 new CNA training slots. Funds will support employee recruitment and success through retention bonuses, employer reimbursement and success bonuses, and mentorships. 

Originally launched in 2018, WisCaregiver Careers has already engaged more than 300 of Wisconsin’s 385 nursing homes in efforts to expand the healthcare workforce. A current iteration of the program, funded through a $400,000 Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Fast Forward grant, is on track to exceed its goal of training 500 new CNAs for employment before ending in June. Following successful iterations of the program, the additional funding will expand the public-private partnership beginning summer 2022. 

Contact the WisCaregiver Careers program for more information. 

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.

COVID-19 Information and Resources Are Available in Multiple Languages!

Vaccine Information:

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.

To find a vaccine near you, go to vaccines.gov or vacunas.gov.

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.

COVID-19 Therapeutics: What You Need to Know

If you have a compromised immune system, there is a highly effective preventive medication that you can take called Evusheld. Evusheld showed a 77% reduction in the risk of developing symptomatic COVID-19 compared to placebo in clinical trials. If your doctor recommends this medication to you, we urge you to take it.

If you experience symptoms of COVID-19, get tested right away and talk to your healthcare provider about available treatment options. Your healthcare provider will review your health history and determine whether any of these treatments are right for you.

Most of the available treatments need to be started within 5 days of symptom onset, so do not delay. Get tested right away. Click here to learn more about available treatments.

ICYMI: Recent COVID-19 News

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.