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Wisconsin moves up vaccine eligibility for residents with medical conditions to March 22

Covid-19 vaccinations in Wisconsin are running a little ahead of schedule. Last week Wisconsin announced that starting March 29, individuals 16 and older with many preexisting conditions will be eligible for the vaccine -- a move that will make about 2 million more people eligible. But today Gov. Tony Evers announced that he's moved that date up a week, to March 22.

“Our vaccinators across the state are doing great work to get folks vaccinated and get this done, and because of their good work, Wisconsin continues to be a national leader in getting shots in arms,” Evers said in a statement. “Moving up eligibility for this critical group will help us get over the finish line and sooner, and get us back to our Wisconsin way of life.”

A vial of the COVID-19 vaccine | Photo by Lisa Ferdinando/Wikimedia Commons

According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, individuals 16 and older with the following conditions will be eligible for a vaccine starting on March 22:

  • Asthma (moderate-to-severe)
  • Cancer
  • Cerebrovascular disease (affects blood vessels and blood supply to the brain)
  • Chronic kidney disease
  • COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
  • Cystic fibrosis
  • Down syndrome
  • Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies
  • Hypertension or high blood pressure
  • Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant, blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids, or use of other immune weakening medicines
  • Liver disease
  • Neurologic conditions, such as dementia
  • Obesity (body mass index of 30-39 kg/m2)
  • Overweight (BMI of 25-29 kg/m2)
  • Pregnancy
  • Pulmonary fibrosis (having damaged or scarred lung tissues)
  • Severe Obesity (BMI 40 kg/m2 or more)
  • Sickle cell disease
  • Type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus
  • Thalassemia (a type of blood disorder)

Residents can visit the state’s Covid-19 vaccine options page or call the toll free vaccine hotline at 1-844-684-1064 to learn how and where they can get vaccinated.