As the 2022-2023 school year gets underway, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) urges students statewide to get their COVID-19 vaccinations or boosters before the start of the school year. This includes children as well as anyone planning to attend in-person classes at a college or university. All students benefit from in-person learning, and safely returning to the classroom this fall is a priority all across Wisconsin.

Everyone 6 months and older is eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Nearly 389,000 Wisconsin school-age youth ages 5 to 17 have already received their primary series of a COVID-19 vaccine. COVID-19 vaccines remain available to all Wisconsinites at no cost. Find information about COVID-19 vaccine providers near you at vaccines.gov.

In addition to vaccination, DHS and schools statewide are preparing to keep kids safe and healthy during the upcoming school year. On August 11, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced updated COVID-19 Guidance for Community, School, and Early Childhood Education Settings. The CDC guidance is intended to help people better understand their risk; how to protect themselves and others; what actions to take if exposed to COVID-19; and what actions to take if they are sick or test positive for the virus. 

DHS supports the updated CDC guidance and encourages each school or school district to closely monitor the COVID-19 Community Levels in their county, along with vaccination rates, testing for students, teachers, and staff, outbreaks, and the age of students served by the school, and adjust their policies as necessary.

During the 2021-2022 school year, the state’s K-12 COVID-19 Testing Program supported participating schools and districts in administering more than 800,000 tests to students and staff. In addition, DHS provided schools with approximately 1.4 million pieces of PPE, such as gloves and masks. DHS will continue to offer support for schools and early childhood education facilities as the school year begins, including access to mobile vaccination clinics, a K-12 COVID-19 testing program, and stockpile of personal protective equipment (PPE) that includes child-size masks.

For free, confidential support finding health care and community resources near you, dial 211. For information, resources, and data related to Wisconsin’s COVID-19 vaccination program, visit the COVID-19 vaccine webpage. You can also follow @DHSWI on Facebook, Twitter, or dhs.wi on Instagram for more information on COVID-19.

The Wisconsin Office of Children’s Mental Health has announced the publication of a new fact sheet, Strengthening Student Mental Health, and what our students, parents, schools, and policymakers can do to make a difference. 

Fostering positive mental health in students can improve their overall health and improve student learning, attendance, and engagement. Positive mental health also reduces bullying, risky behaviors, substance abuse, school violence, and involvement in the juvenile justice system. 

How to Support Children’s Well-Being through COVID-19 Grief 

Omicron BA.5 continues to be the dominant variant in Wisconsin and across the United States. It is highly contagious, and it appears to be better than previous variants at evading immunity to COVID-19 infection. As a result, we have seen seven-day average COVID-19 infections in Wisconsin hovering around 1,600.  

Taking steps to control the spread of COVID-19 remains important, especially to make sure hospitals have the capacity to provide the full range of health care. In addition, many people, particularly older adults, and people with underlying health conditions, remain at risk of serious illness, hospitalization, and death.    

As of August 12, 2022, CDC data indicate 27 Wisconsin counties are in the “high” COVID-19 Community Level category: Vilas; Forest; Florence; Marinette; Burnett; Washburn; Barron; Rusk; Taylor; Marathon; St. Croix; Wood; Door; Brown; Trempealeau; La Crosse; Marquette; Richland; Sauk; Columbia; Grant; Dane; Rock; Washington; Milwaukee; Racine and Kenosha. In addition, 27 Wisconsin counties are experiencing a medium COVID-19 Community Level, and 18 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.  Click here for more county level data. 

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

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. 

Most people who get COVID-19 have mild illness and can treat themselves at home with rest, hydration, and over-the-counter medications to decrease fever and discomfort. For people who are at higher risk of experiencing severe COVID-19 illness, medications called monoclonal antibodies and oral antivirals are available throughout the state. 

COVID-19 oral antivirals are pills taken by mouth at home after someone has tested positive for COVID-19. They help the body fight off the virus that causes COVID-19 and are proven to reduce serious symptoms that can lead to hospitalization and death. A prescription is required for these medications. These treatments need to start within five days of symptom onset, so it is important that people who develop symptoms of COVID-19 do not delay – they should test and seek treatment right away. Oral antiviral pills are available at nearly 600 pharmacies across the state. To get a prescription, you can visit a health care clinic, a community health center, walk-in clinic or a Test to Treat site, and for Paxlovid, you may be able to get a prescription from a pharmacist.  

DHS opened the first round of applications for $30 million in grant funding to support home and community-based services (HCBS). HCBS help older adults or those who have disabilities live independently in their community. Grant awards will range from $25,000 to $2 million. Successful applications will benefit people who use HCBS and their families or providers of HCBS and their employees, including projects that strengthen the HCBS system and support quality and innovation in the delivery of services in Wisconsin.  

Examples of projects which could be supported can be found on the grant program webpage that also includes additional resources such as a webinar and program overview. Wisconsin’s HCBS programs include Children’s Long-Term Support (CLTS); Family Care; Family Care Partnership; Include, Respect, I Self-direct (IRIS); and the Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE).  

Eligible organizations can apply on the GrantsConnect portal dedicated to the program. Awardees will use this portal to manage reporting and other tasks during the grant period. The first round of applications for the grant program will close on September 12, 2022. A second round of applications will open before February 2023. A third round of funding will depend on available funds after the first two rounds.   

The grant program is one of nine initiatives to use a total of $350 million that Wisconsin received to support HCBS through the American Rescue Plan Act. Anyone interested in getting updates on the projects can sign up for ARPA HCBS notices.