February 23, 2021 – The State of Wisconsin has announced that it will operate a community-based COVID-19 vaccination clinic in Racine County as part of an effort to expand vaccine accessibility across the state.
Local officials are working closely with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and AMI Expeditionary Healthcare on the clinic, which is expected to be open within the next two months. The Racine County Emergency Operations Center is coordinating local work on the clinic. This clinic will supplement efforts of the Central Racine County and City of Racine Public Health Departments, both of which will continue to operate community-based vaccination clinics.
More information will be released as details become finalized.
Local leaders applauded the announcement of the new clinic and encouraged Racine County residents to get vaccinated when they are eligible.
“While vaccine supply and eligibility has been limited thus far, we are making progress. This clinic will greatly support our efforts and will be tremendously beneficial for residents and businesses, so many of whom have seen their lives upended by COVID-19,” County Executive Jonathan Delagrave said. “When you are eligible, I strongly encourage you to get the vaccine.”
“We are very pleased to have additional vaccine access for Racine County residents and surrounding communities. This site will augment the hard vaccination work already underway by the two local Racine County health departments, local hospitals and healthcare agencies, and local pharmacies,” said Margaret Gesner, Health Officer for the Central Racine County Health Department. “Racine County has a history of collaborating on many fronts, and this site is another example of all partners pulling together to support additional vaccines for Racine County and Wisconsin. We encourage everyone eligible to get vaccinated to protect our families and our communities.”
“As the supply of vaccine steadily increases and the state expands the categories of who is eligible to be vaccinated, it’s incumbent on us to have plans in place to make sure we can equitably provide access to the vaccine for our community. This clinic is a great step forward in ensuring that all Racine County residents will have access to this life-saving vaccine. We thank the State Department of Health Services for partnering with us locally, and we encourage everyone to get vaccinated as soon as they are eligible,” said City of Racine Mayor Cory Mason.
“Both local public health departments and our regional hospital system partners have been doing everything we can do to vaccinate the community; however, we recognize the need to expand our capacity. As the supply of the vaccine increases, we must make sure we have adequate vaccine distribution infrastructure in place to meet the demand. This clinic will expand our capacity to vaccinate and provide more access to the broader community,” said Dottie-Kay Bowersox.
The Racine County clinic was one of four community-based clinics announced by DHS. The sites are meant to fill in gaps in access and are only one option for vaccination. Other options include your health care provider, local pharmacy, Walgreens federal retail pharmacy program, local health departments, and State Mobile Vaccination Team Clinics.
Currently, populations eligible for the vaccine include front-line health care personnel; residents in skilled nursing and long-term care facilities; police, fire personnel, and correctional staff, and adults age 65 and older. Starting March 1, the state is expanding eligibility to teachers and childcare.
