Here & Now

Restrictions Loosen in Wisconsin

Frederica Freyberg:

The week included a flashing show of support from Dane County emergency teams remembering those who have died in the area from COVID-19. And even as somber memorials are given, Wisconsin’s case numbers remain comparatively low. Low enough that Dane County loosened restrictions on public gatherings. Restaurants there can now serve up to 50% capacity. Taverns may open the doors to up to 25% capacity. So far in Wisconsin, more than one million people have received the first dose of vaccine. That amounts to over 17% of the population over the age of 16 authorized for the shot. Just over a half million Wisconsinites have completed the vaccine series. That’s nearly 10% of the eligible population. While the numbers show progress in the fight against COVID, state health officials still strongly encourage personal safety precautions. And now the need for continued testing parallels the focus on vaccine supply and demand, including shipments of the new Johnson & Johnson vaccine headed into Wisconsin next week.

Julie Willems Van Dijk:

The addition of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to our federal allocation and the news of increased production for all three vaccines means our state will get more vaccine. Throughout the COVID-19 vaccine effort, we have continued to refine and improve our systems and processes, and with more vaccine supply, we will be able to more effectively utilize our network of vaccinators across Wisconsin to get shots in arms quickly, safely and equitably.

Frederica Freyberg:

More vaccine flowing into Wisconsin next week is especially well-timed. That’s because Deputy Secretary Van Dijk also announced the growing presence of coronavirus variants in the state. There have been at least 19 cases of the B1 variant found in Wisconsin. That’s the highly infectious variant originally found in the United Kingdom.