Shift to mass eligibility as of April 5

If you, or someone you love has been waiting for their shot at getting the COVID vaccine-or one of them anyway—That day has finally arrived.

Announced just recently was the news that as of last Monday April 5, all Wisconsin residents 16 years and older who wish to recieve a COVID vaccine are now eligible. So where might one do so?

Listed down at the website of the state health department at dhs.wisconsin.gov are several options.

Along with a map of vaccine providers updated every two weeks is a list of general vaccine program participants. Some may be open only to certain eligible groups, while all participants manage their own lists, and vaccines are by appointment only. So who’s vaccinating? Listed among the participants at the State website are several chain stores, including Costco, CVS, Hy-Vee, Kroger, Managed Health Care Associates, Meijer, Walgreens, and of course, Walmart.

Also listed among “Independent Pharmacy networks” are the Community Paharmacy Enhanced Services Network, Health Mart, Medicine Shoppe/Cardinal Health, Topco, and Good Neighbor/ Americsource Bergen Drug Corporation. Those seeking vaccination should contact these stores directly, with the vaccine itself being given at no charge to those seeking it.

For those who may speak Spanish as their first language, the number to learn more about COVID vaccination is likewise 844-684-1064.

(Para los que se hable el español como lengua primera, el número de teléfono para conocer más de la vacuna contra el COVID-19 también se llame 844-684-1064).

The virus, after all, doesn’t discriminate according to language group or national origin.

For more, please see the Wisconsin State health website at www.dhs.wisconsin.gov or your local county website. For Chippewa, that would be www. co.chippewa.wi.us, with one’s local county name substituted in place of ‘Chippewa’ if different.