SURPASSED THE 2 MILLION MARK OF
NUMBER OF COVID-19 VACCINES
DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE
STATE.
HOWEVER, IT'S ONLY JUST OVER 20%
OF THE POPULATION, AND THERE ARE
STILL HURDLES AHEAD AS MORE
GROUPS BECOME ELIGIBLE ON THE
HUNT TO FIND A VACCINE.
SO FOR MORE ON NEW ELIGIBILITY
AND VACCINE HUNTERS, BRAM
SABLE-SMITH, INVESTIGATOR
REPORTER FOR WISCONSIN PUBLIC
RADIO IS HERE TODAY, AND, BRAM,
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
YOU RECENTLY CHRONICLED THE
JOURNEY OF DIFFERENT WISCONSIN
RESIDENTS SEARCHING FOR A
VACCINE.
WHAT WERE SOME OF THE HURDLES
THEY WERE ENCOUNTERING?
>> WELL, YEAH, YOU KNOW, THE
VACCINE INTEREST FORMS THAT I
FILLED OUT WITH MY HEALTHCARE
PROVIDER, I FILLED OUT IN THE
COUNTY WHERE I LIVE, AND THAT'S
BEEN THE GUIDANCE FOR PEOPLE,
FILL OUT INTEREST FORMS AND JUST
WAIT AND WE'LL CONTACT YOU WHEN
YOU ARE READY FOR AN
APPOINTMENT, WHEN WE HAVE
AVAILABILITY.
YOU KNOW, TO A CERTAIN EXTENT,
PEOPLE GOT IMPATIENT, WANTING
APPOINTMENTS FASTER AND HAVE NOT
FOUND MOVEMENT OR GETTING
SCHEDULED THROUGH THE CHANNELS
THEIR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND
HEALTHCARE DEPARTMENTS.
THEY MADE IT THEIR MISSION TO GO
OUT MORE PROACTIVELY TO FIND
APPOINTMENTS FOR THEMSELVES OR
FOR THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS, AND IN
SOME CASES, FOR STRANGERS.
THEY ARE FACING HURDLES LIKE
TECHNOLOGY BEING A MAJOR ONE.
IF YOU WANT A VACCINE
APPOINTMENT AT WALGREENS, SAY,
THAT VERY MUCH DEPENDS ON YOUR
ABILITY TO CREATE AN ACCOUNT AT
WALGREENS AND THEN WAKE UP IN
THE MORNING WHEN THE VACCINE
APPOINTMENTS BECOME AVAILABLE,
AND LOG-IN INTO THE ACCOUNT, AND
SIGN UP FOR AN APPOINTMENT THAT
WAY.
LOTS OF PEOPLE ALSO NEED A LOT
OF TIME TO FIND THESE
APPOINTMENTS.
YOU MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO
SCHEDULE AT WALGREENS SO YOU GO
DOWN THE LIST TO FIND PHARMACIES
AND PROVIDERS WHO TAKE
APPOINTMENTS.
THAT TAKES A LONG TIME.
WE KNOW THIS FROM FINDING
APPOINTMENTS MYSELF.
I'M ELIGIBLE MONDAY, TRYING TO
GET MY IN-LAWS SCHEDULED, IT
TAKES A LOT OF TIME, THEY ARE
SUBSTANTIAL HURDLES FOR A LOT OF
PEOPLE.
>> AND SO THESE NEW WEBSITES AND
FACEBOOK GROUPS ARE SOMEWHAT
KIND OF LIKE A GRASSROOTS EFFORT
OF PEOPLE TRYING TO CONNECT ONE
ANOTHER, PEOPLE TRYING TO HELP
EACH OTHER.
HOW MANY OF THESE KIND OF AD HOC
GROUPS ARE OUT THERE, AND WHAT
DID YOU NOTICE WHEN YOU STARTED
FOLLOWING THEIR EFFORTS?
>> I MEAN, THERE ARE -- THESE
GROUPS EXIST.
THERE WAS OFTENTIMES MULTIPLE
GROUPS IN THE STATE, AND THEY
ARE IN STATES ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.
I MEAN, THESE THINGS POPPED UP
ALL OVER THE PLACE.
THE BIGGEST ONE IN WISCONSIN
THAT I'VE FOUND IS CALLED
MILWAUKEE -- LET'S SEE --
MILWAUKEE AND WISCONSIN AREA
VACCINE HUNTERS AND ANGELS.
IT'S GOT ABOUT -- LAST I CHECKED -- 6500 PEOPLE IN IT.
IT IS A SUBSTANTIAL GROUP.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY
COME ACROSS THERE ARE, YOU KNOW,
NUMBER ONE, THE GROUP IN
WISCONSIN IS VERY, VERY
ENCOURAGING.
THERE'S A LARGE EFFORT, A LARGE
NUMBER OF POSITIVES, AND THE
MIND SET IS A SHOT IN THE ARM IS
A GOOD THING, AND THAT'S WHAT WE
ARE HERE TO DO.
THERE'S NOT QUESTIONING ABOUT,
OH, WHY IS THIS GROUP ELIGIBLE
AND THIS GROUP IS NOT.
IT IS VERY MUCH AN ENCOURAGING
THING, AND IT IS PEOPLE SHARING
THESE, LIKE YOU SAID, GRASSROOTS
TYPES HOW TO FIND APPOINTMENTS.
THEY NOTICED WALGREENS SEEMS
LIKE THAT HE RELEASE -- THAT
THEY RELEASE NEW APPOINTMENTS IN
THE MORNING AT 6:00 A.M.
THAT'S A PIECE OF INFORMATION
SHARED WITH PEOPLE AND PEOPLE
CAPITALIZE ON THAT.
YOU HAVE ALL PEOPLE WAKING UP AT
5:55 IN THE MORNING AND POSTING
THESE POSITIVE MESSAGES IN THE
GROUP SAYING, NEW APPOINTMENTS
OUT, GO GET THEM!
LET'S GET SHOTS IN ARMS, PEOPLE!
ANOTHER THING THEY'VE BEEN DOING
IS CATALOGING -- SOME PHARMACIES
HAVE STANDBY, LIKE A WAIT LIST,
SO, YOU KNOW, PHARMACIES
SCHEDULE APPOINTMENTS DURING THE
DAY, AND SOME PEOPLE WON'T SHOW
UP FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER SO
THAT MEANS LEFTOVER DOSES AT THE
END OF THE DAY.
IT'S A SMALL AMOUNT OF LEFTOVER
DOSES USUALLY AVAILABLE, IF ANY,
BUT SOME PHARMACIES WILL HAVE A
LIST OF PEOPLE THAT THEY CAN
CALL, SAY, HEY, YOU TOLD US YOU
WERE INTERESTED, CAN YOU COME TO
THIS LOCATION AND GET THE SHOT
IN THE NEXT 25 MINUTES SO WE
DON'T HAVE TO THROW IT AWAY?
THIS GROUP, THE FACEBOOK GROUPS,
STARTED CATALOGING, YOU KNOW,
HAVE A RUNNING GOOGLE DOCUMENT
OF THE PHARMACIES THAT DO OR DO
NOT OFFER THOSE KINDS OF
SERVICES.
THEY SHARE TIPS ABOUT, HEY,
WHERE CAN YOU SHOW UP IN PERSON
TO GET A SHOT, WHETHER IT IS TO
GO TO A VACCINE SHOT THAT MIGHT
HAVE LEFTOVERS, SHOW UP THERE AT
THE END OF THE DAY AND ASK IF
THEY HAVE LEFTOVER SHOTS
AVAILABLE FOR YOU, OR IF THERE
ARE A NUMBER OF WALK-IN CLINICS
THAT ARE OFFERING APPOINTMENTS
IN A WAY YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO
THIS ONLINE PROCESSING, THAT IS
BURDENSOME OR DIFFICULT FOR SOME
PEOPLE.
THEY ARE SHARING VARIOUS TIPS
ALONG THOSE WAYS.
REALLY CLEVERLY, KEEPING IT
POSITIVE, AND THEY ARE, YOU
KNOW, VERY MUCH IN THE GROUP,
THE WISCONSIN ONE, THE FOCUS ON
GETTING AS MANY PEOPLE
VACCINATED AS POSSIBLE.
>> NOW, THERE WERE A FEW
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU
SPECIFICALLY DETAILED IN YOUR
ARTICLE, INCLUDING EXPECTATIONS
ABOUT TRAVELING, COMMUNICATION
WITH HEALTH PROVIDERS.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
WHAT THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE?
>> WELL, ONE OF THOSE IS TO BE
PATIENT.
I MEAN, YOU MENTIONED WE'VE
PASSED THE 2 MILLION SHOTS
THRESHOLD GIVEN IN WISCONSIN,
BUT WE ARE GETTING A FIXED
NUMBER OF VACCINES IN THE STATE,
AND WE ARE ROLLING THEM OUT
DOING A DECENT JOB.
WE LEAD THE COUNTRY NOW, I THINK
IT'S BEEN A COUPLE WEEKS NOW
WHERE WE LED THE COUNTRY IN THE
PERCENT OF SHOTS IN ARMS.
IT IS 94% TO 95% OF THE SHOTS
THAT ARE COMING IN WISCONSIN
HAVE GOTTEN INTO PEOPLE'S ARMS,
WHICH IS PHENOMENAL.
YOU'LL SEE OTHER STATES, MY HOME
STATE OF MISSOURI, I THINK, IS
80% THRESHOLD IN ARMS, WHICH,
YOU KNOW, FLIP SIDE OF THAT IS
THAT 20% ARE NOT.
BEING PATIENT IS THE BIGGEST
TIP.
YOU KNOW, IT -- THERE'S ONLY SO
MUCH VACCINE, AND THEY ARE IN
HUGE DEMAND IN WISCONSIN.
PEOPLE ARE GETTING SHOTS, AND
THAT'S A REALLY GOOD THING.
SO ONE TIP, YOU KNOW, BASIC ONE
IS YOU CAN GO THROUGH THE
PROVIDER, AND THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT PEOPLE HAVE DONE, AND I
SPOKE TO A 67-YEAR-OLD WOMAN IN
THE MILWAUKEE AREA.
HER PROVIDER GOT A LETTER IN THE
MAIL SAYING, HEY, YOU ARE NOW
ELIGIBLE FOR THE VACCINE, CALL
THIS NUMBER FOR AN APPOINTMENT.
SHOW FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS,
AND SHE GOT HER APPOINTMENT
WEEKS LATER, AND IS FULLY
VACCINATED NOW.
SO I MEAN, THAT'S THE REALLY
COMMON WAY TO DO IT, IF YOU HAVE
A PROVIDER, WORK WITH THEM TO
SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT, BUT
THAT'S NOT WORKING FOR
EVERYBODY.
NUMBER TWO, RESEARCH WHERE TO
GO.
THE STATE OF WISCONSIN ACTUALLY
HAS A PRETTY USEFUL SEARCHABLE
MAP OF ALL THE VACCINE PROVIDERS
IN THE STATE, AND IT TELLS YOU
WHETHER THEY ARE OPEN OR CLOSED
TO THE PUBLIC, WHO CAN GET
VACCINATED AT THOSE PLACES, AND
IT IS A PRETTY USEFUL TOOL, AND
THERE'S WEBSITES AND PHONE
NUMBERS TO CALL THERE, AND
SEARCH THAT BY COUNTY.
IF YOU'RE IN DANE COUNTY AND
WANT AN APPOINTMENT IN DANEDOWN,
DO THAT AND SEE PROVIDERS THERE.
IF YOU ARE SOMEWHERE ELSE OR
WILLING TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE,
YOU CAN SEARCH FOR PROVIDERS
ELSEWHERE.
THAT'S MAYBE TIP NUMBER THREE,
BEING WILLING TO TRAVEL.
I SPOKE TO AN ESSENTIAL
NON-FRONTLINE HEALTHCARE WORKER,
I THINK, THE PROVISION, THIS IS
A GROUP THAT WAS ELIGIBLE FOR
VACCINATION IN WISCONSIN ON
MARCH 1st, PEOPLE WHO WORK IN
THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY BUT NOT
NECESSARILY DOING THE FRONTLINE
DIRECT PATIENT CARE, BUT
NONETHELESS ESSENTIAL TO THE
HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY.
I SPOKE TO A GUY IN MADISON IN
THAT GROUP.
HE TRIED FOR THREE DAYS TO
SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT IN
MADISON.
HE FOUND THE TIPS E-MAIL, WAKING
UP, SCHEDULING AT WALGREENS AT
6:00 IN THE MORNING AND WAS NOT
WORKING.
HE'S FROM BEAVER DAM.
ON THE FOURTH DAY, THE DOG WOKE
HIM UP BEGGING TO GO OUTSIDE,
THEN THAT HAZE, YOU KNOW, EARLY
MORNING HAZE, NOT QUITE AWAKE,
HE HAD THE REALIZATION, OH, HEY,
I CAN TRY TO SCHEDULE IN BEAVER
DAM.
HE WENT ONLINE AND BOOKED IT IN
ONE TRY.
BEING WILLING TO TRAVEL IF YOU
ARE ABLE TO, THAT'S A DECENT TIP
THAT'S BEEN WORKING FOR PEOPLE.
A FOURTH TIP IS TO ASK ABOUT
THESE LEFTOVER DOSES.
SOME PHARMACIES AND VACCINATION
SITES ARE DOING THESE KINDS OF
LISTS.
SOME AREN'T.
IT CAN'T HURT TO ASK, TO CALL,
OR EVEN SHOW UP.
PEOPLE HAD SUCCESS JUST SHOWING
UP AT A VACCINATION SITE TOWARDS
THE END OF THE DAY SAYING, YOU
GOT ANY LEFTOVER DOSES I CAN
GET?
AND THE FINAL TIP THERE WAS TO
SEE IF YOU CAN FIND A WALK-IN
CLINIC.
I SPOKE TO A PHARMACIST AT HYATT
PHARMACY IN MILWAUKEE, AND THEY
GOT SEVERAL LOCATIONS, BUT THEY
HAVE A WALK-IN VACCINATION
CLINIC.
THEY THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD WAY
THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO EXTEND
VACCINATIONS TO PEOPLE WHO ARE
MAYBE FACING SOME OF THE
CHALLENGES LIKE, YOU KNOW,
PEOPLE WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE AN
E-MAIL ADDRESS, PEOPLE WHO DON'T
HAVE INTERNET ACCESS TO SCHEDULE
APPOINTMENTS UP FRONT.
THEY HAVE A WALK-IN CLINIC WHERE
YOU JUST SHOW UP, FIRST COME,
FIRST SERVE, AND YOU HAVE TO BE
ELIGIBLE, AND IF YOU ARE AND
SHOW UP, YOU GET IN LINE AND
POTENTIALLY GET A VACCINE THAT
WAY.
THOSE ARE SOME OF THE TIPS THAT
PEOPLE ARE USING TO GET DOSES
FOR THEMSELVES, AND FOR OTHER
LOVED ONES.
>> SO THAT WHOLE PROCESS, AS YOU
SAID, CAN BE VERY TIME INTENSIVE
AND SOME PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THAT
TIME.
HOW INTENSE SHOULD PEOPLE GET
WITH THEIR SEARCH?
ON THE FLIPSIDE, IF SOMEONE
DOESN'T NEED A VACCINE RIGHT
AWAY, IF THEY ARE NOT WORKING IN
A HOSPITAL OR CONSIDERED
ESSENTIAL WORKER, THEY CAN STAY
HOME TO KEEP WORKING, SHOULD
THEY BE HOLDING OFF MORE SO
THOSE WHO ARE STILL IN SEARCH OF
A VACCINE CAN GET IN FRONT OF
THE LINE?
>> I MEAN, GREAT QUESTION,
REALLY IS.
IT GETS AT LOGISTICS, ETHICS,
AND IT IS A QUESTION I DON'T
HAVE THE GREATEST ANSWER TO, BUT
HERE'S A LITTLE ABOUT WHAT WE DO
KNOW.
NUMBER ONE, I MEAN, REALLY,
PEOPLE, IF YOU HAVE INTERNET, IF
YOU HAVE TECHNICAL SAVVY, IF YOU
HAVE TIME, THAT'S A REALLY
DISTINCT ADVANTAGE FOR PEOPLE TO
GET IN VACCINE APPOINTMENTS AND
GETTING THAT DONE.
WHAT SOME PEOPLE ARE DOING IS
SAYING, I WANT TO USE MY
RESOURCES, I WANT TO USE MY
KNOW-HOW, I WANT TO USE THE TIME
I HAVE AVAILABLE TO ME TO HELP
SCHEDULE OTHER PEOPLE.
THAT'S SOMETHING WHERE, YOU
KNOW, THE FACEBOOK GROUP CALLED
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN AREA
VACCINE HUNTERS AND ANGELS.
THAT'S THE ANGEL PART.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WILLING TO DO
THAT WORK FOR YOU, IF YOU ARE
UNABLE, FOR WHATEVER REASON, A
TECHNOLOGICAL BARRIER, TIME
BARRIER, THINGS LIKE THAT, THERE
ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE SPENDING
THEIR TIME DOING THAT.
I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GREAT
THING.
IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY
GETTING THE DOSES, SHOULD YOU
TAKE IT, SHOULD YOU NOT, I MEAN,
THE GENERAL RECOMMENDATION IS IF
YOU ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A DOSE, YOU
SHOULD GO AHEAD AND DO IT.
WE'RE -- WE WANT TO GET PEOPLE
VACCINATED AND REACH THE
THRESHOLD OF HERD IMMUNITY IN
THE STATE, AND IF WE CAN DO
THAT, THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY
GOOD THING, AND THERE'S A LOT
OF, YOU KNOW, I FEEL IT MYSELF,
THERE'S A LOT OF, LIKE, KIND OF
AM
FEELINGS SEEING YOUNGER PEOPLE
VACCINATED BECAUSE THEY QUALIFY
FOR A REASON, BUT, YOU KNOW, MY
64-YEAR-OLD MOTHER-IN-LAW HAS
BEEN UNABLE TO GET VACCINATED SO
FAR.
SHE'S IN MISSOURI, BUT OTHER
PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, YOUNGER
PEOPLE, WHO MAYBE WORK FROM HOME
BUT ARE ESSENTIAL PARTS OF THE
HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY ARE GETTING
VACCINATIONS, THERE'S A LOT OF
THINGS WE CAN DO.
WE'RE IN A REALLY INTENSE
PRESSURE MOMENT.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO GET
VACCINATED, EVERYONE WANTS TO,
YOU KNOW, PROTECT THEMSELVES AND
PROTECT THEIR COMMUNITY, AND
THERE'S A LOT OF SPACE THERE TO
FEEL THOSE THOUGHTS, AND I THINK
THE GENERAL GUIDANCE IS IF YOU
CAN GET A VACCINE, IT IS
PROBABLY A GOOD THING.
WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS HERD
IMMUNITY, BUT PEOPLE ARE, IT IS
A REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOTE, THAT
PEOPLE ARE USING THEIR
RESOURCES, THEIR CONNECTIONS,
THEIR KNOW-HOEHOW TO HELP OTHERS
GET VACCINATED AS WELL.
THAT'S A GOOD THING THAT I KNOW,
PERSONALLY SPEAKING, I WOULD
WANT TO ENCOURAGE.
>> NOW, THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH SERVICES KEEPS OPENING UP
THESE ELIGIBILITY GROUPS AS YOU
MENTIONED.
MONDAY IS ONE OF THEM.
PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC HEALTH
CONDITIONS, CERTAIN HEALTH
CONDITIONS, THAT ARE OVER THE
AGE OF 16 WILL NOW BE ELIGIBLE
OR STARTING MONDAY ARE ELIGIBLE
FOR THE VACCINE, BUT AFTER THAT,
THEY ROUGHLY ESTIMATE MAY 1st
THEY MAY CHANGE THAT DATE TO
OPEN UP TO THE GENERAL
POPULATION.
IS THE STATE OPENING UP
ELIGIBILITY GROUPS TOO FAST?
IS THE DEMAND FAR OUTPACING THE
SUPPLY?
>> RIGHT.
THIS IS WHERE WE NEED TO LOOK AT
PERCENT OF VACCINE DOSES USED.
WISCONSIN, IT'S BEEN CONSISTENT.
WE LEAD THE COUNTRY AT 94% TO
95% OF THE DOSES BEING USED.
THAT SUGGESTS A HUGE AMOUNT OF
DEMAND.
THAT SUGGESTS THAT THE PEOPLE
WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR VACCINES
ARE GETTING THEIR VACCINES.
IF YOU LOOK AT OTHER STATES THAT
HAVE OPENED THINGS UP MORE
QUICKLY, I THINK RECENTLY,
INDIANA AND OHIO HAVE OPENED UP
THEIR ELIGIBILITY TO PEOPLE, YOU
KNOW, AROUND THE AGE OF 40.
THEY REALLY LOWERED THE
THRESHOLDS THERE.
IF YOU LOOK AT PERCENT OF DOSES
USED, THEY ARE AT 80% TO 85%.
THAT MEANS THAT 15% TO 20% OF
THE DOSES THEY HAVE IN THOSE
STATES ARE NOT GETTING INTO
ARMS, SO IT MAKES SENSE TO OPEN
UP ELIGIBILITY TO GET SHOTS INTO
ARMS IN THOSE PLACES.
RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T -- WE HAVE
HUGE DEMAND.
I'VE BEEN SURPRISED THEY MOVED
UP ELIGIBILITY FOR THE GROUP
THAT WAS INITIALLY GOING TO
BE -- THE GROUP WITH PEOPLE IN
CERTAIN HEALTH CONDITIONS
INITIALLY ELIGIBLE ON MARCH
29th NOW ELIGIBLE A WEEK
EARLIER, MARCH 22nd.
I'VE BEEN SURPRISED BY THAT, BUT
I THINK IT SAYS SOMETHING, YOU
KNOW, LISTENING TO WHAT THE
STATE SAID WHEN THEY MADE THAT
ANNOUNCEMENT WITH WHAT THE
GOVERNOR SAID, THAT SAYS
SOMETHING ABOUT THE SUPPLY,
OPTIMISM ABOUT THE SUPPLY OF
DOSES THAT WE'RE HAVING, AND SO,
YOU KNOW, I -- I'VE BEEN
SURPRISED WITH HOW QUICKLY WE
ARE OPENING UP CONSIDERING HOW
MUCH DEMAND THERE IS IN THE
STATE, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW,
FRANKLY, THAT'S A GOOD THING,
AND MAKING EVERYBODY ELIGIBLE BY
MAY 1st, SEEMS STATE OFFICIALS
ARE OPTIMISTIC THEY CAN SEE
THAT, THAT'S A GREAT THING.
>> YESTERDAY, MILWAUKEE OPENED
UP ELIGIBILITY TO SPECIFIC ZIP
CODES BASED ON THE CDC'S SOCIAL
VULNERABILITY INDEX, AND IT WAS
JUST ANNOUNCED AGAIN THAT THE
MONDAY START DATE FOR PEOPLE
WITH CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITIONS
CAN BE OPENED UP.
WITH THAT, IT CAN BE HARD TO
KEEP UP AND KEEP TRACK AS
MONDAY'S DATE WAS ACTUALLY MOVED
UP A WEEK THAN ORIGINALLY
PLANNED, SO HOW DOES SOMEONE
KNOW FOR SURE WHERE THEY FALL,
AND ARE THERE NEGATIVE
CONSEQUENCES TO GETTING A
VACCINE WHEN YOU WERE NOT
TECHNICALLY ELIGIBLE YET?
>> YEAH.
ONE MORE TO THROW IN THERE WITH
YOU IS THAT RESTAURANT WORKERS
BECAME ELIGIBLE, BASICALLY,
RIGHT AWAY EARLIER THIS WEEK.
SO, YEAH, IT CHANGES QUICKLY.
ELIGIBILITY IS HAPPENING
RAPIDLY.
THE STATE IS DOING A DECENT JOB,
I THINK, OF MAKING THOSE
ANNOUNCEMENTS, GETTING THAT OUT
THROUGH THE MEDIA, AND
IMPORTANTLY, UPDATING THE
WEBSITE.
IF YOU GO TO WISCONSIN'S
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH VACCINATION
WEBSITES, THEY DO A DECENT JOB
OF UPDATING WHO IS ELIGIBLE NOW
AND ALSO THE NEXT GROUPS THAT
WILL BE ELIGIBLE AND WHEN THEY
WILL BE ELIGIBLE.
THEY ARE TRYING TO KEEP THAT
INFORMATION UP-TO-DATE.
THEY ARE DOING A GOOD JOB OF
THAT, BUT THERE ARE ISSUES
THERE, SO, YOU KNOW, I'M A TYPE
1 DIABETIC, I'M IN THE GROUP
THAT WAS GOING TO BE ELIGIBLE
MARCH 29th THAT THEN BECAME
ELIGIBLE A WEEK EARLIER, AND,
YOU KNOW, AS SOON AS THAT
INFORMATION CAME OUT, WE'RE ON
THE PHONE, MY WIFE AND I,
SCHEDULING APPOINTMENTS FOR ME,
AND THE VACCINATION SITES WERE
NOT AWARE OF THE CHANGE YET.
WE WERE AHEAD OF THE NEWS CYCLE,
BUT THIS WAS JUST YESTERDAY, YOU
KNOW, AND, TODAY, THE NEWS IS
OUT THAT THEY ARE -- THEY ARE
STARTING TO SCHEDULE THE GROUP,
THE 1C GROUP, IT'S CALLED, AND
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S LO LO LOGISTICAL
HURDLES THERE, BUT WE ARE DOING
A GOOD JOB.
YOU CAN SEE THE INFORMATION, AND
THE STATE IS DOING A DECENT JOB
KEEPING INFORMATION UPDATED FOR
THE PUBLIC SO YOU CAN SEARCH IT.
IN TERMS OF GETTING VACCINE
APPOINTMENTS IF YOU DO NOT
QUALIFY YET, I MEAN, WE'RE
SEEING WE'RE ON THE HONOR
SYSTEM.
IF YOU TALK TO VACCINATION
SITES, YOU KNOW, THERE'S
HESITANCY -- IT IS NOT THEIR JOB
TO POLICE WHETHER YOU ARE
ELIGIBLE OR NOT.
THEY ARE GOING TO ASK FOR
CERTAIN DOCUMENTATION TO SHOW
YOU'RE IN THE GROUP, MAYBE IT'S
A PAY STUB FROM YOUR EMPLOYER TO
SHOW THAT YOU ARE, IN FACT,
ELIGIBLE.
MAYBE IT IS, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING
ABOUT YOUR CHRONIC CONDITION.
THEY ASK FOR THAT DOCUMENTATION,
BUT, ULTIMATELY, THE VACCINATION
SITES I SPEAK TO SAY IT'S NOT
THEIR RESPONSIBILITY.
THEY DON'T WANT TO BE IN THE
POSITION OF POLICING THAT.
IT IS REALLY IS ON THE HONOR
SYSTEM, AND IT IS ON US TO KIND
OF WAIT OUR TURN TO MAKE SURE
THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE GETTING
THEIR DOSES, WHO ARE ELIGIBLE,
AND, YOU KNOW, ONCE AGAIN, 95%
OF THE DOSES ARE INTO ARMS,
WHICH MEANS THAT THAT NEED IS
OUT THERE.
WE ARE NOT WASTING A HUGE AMOUNT
OR SITTING ON VACCINES WHEN
PEOPLE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE AND WANT
IT ARE GETTING IT AND MAKING
SURE THAT PEOPLE CAN GET THAT IS
A GOOD THING TO DO.
>> NOW, AS WE SPOKE TO EARLIER,
PHASE 2, WHICH IS THE GENERAL
POPULATION, DHS ESTIMATES MAY
1st, AT THIS POINT, SUBJECT TO
CHANGE, IF IT IS DIFFICULT TO
GET VACCINATED NOW WITH THESE
MORE LIMITED GROUPS RELATIVELY,
ONLY ELIGIBLE, AND THAT'S ABOUT
20% OF THE STATE SO FAR, WILL
THE DOORS KIND OF BLOW WIDE OPEN
WHEN PHASE 2 HITS?
WILL IT BE A FREE-FOR-ALL?
WILL IT WILL FAIR?
WILL IT BECOME HARDER FOR
VULNERABLE POPULATIONS TO GET A
VACCINE IF THEY NEED IT?
>> I MEAN, IT'S A REALLY GOOD
QUESTION.
SO TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, YOU CAN
SAY THE GATES ARE REALLY BLOWING
OPEN ON MONDAY BECAUSE OF THE
BODY MASS INDEX THAT THE STATE
REQUIRES, THE THRESHOLD OF BODY
MASS INDEX THAT MAKES YOU
ELIGIBLE FOR A VACCINE IS LOW IN
WISCONSIN.
I BELIEVE IT'S A BMI OF 25 OR IN
MISSOURI, MY HOME STATE WHERE MY
IN-LAWS ARE, IT'S A BMI OF 40, A
SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE.
TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, I THINK THE
GATES ARE BLOWING OPEN NOW.
THE STATE IS AWARE OF THIS.
THE STATE IS AWARE OF
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.
IF THEY ARE OPENING UP THE
CATEGORY A WEEK EARLY, EVEN
THOUGH THEY KNOW SO MANY PEOPLE
WOULD POTENTIALLY QUALIFY, I
THINK THAT SUGGESTS THAT THEY
ARE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THEIR
VACCINE SUPPLY, AND SO, YOU
KNOW, AS WE GO ON TRYING TO
VACCINATE THE STATE, WE ARE
HEARING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MORE
VACCINES ARE BEING MANUFACTURED,
MORE VACCINES ARE POTENTIALLY
GETTING APPROVED, AND THERE'S
SOME OPTIMISM ABOUT THE VACCINE
SUPPLY SO I DON'T NECESSARILY
THINK IT'S ANY MORE DIFFICULT TO
SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT.
I COULD BE WRONG HERE AND COULD
EAT CROW, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S
NECESSARILY GOING TO BE MORE
DIFFICULT COME APRIL TO SCHEDULE
AN APPOINTMENT ONCE THE GENERAL
POPULATION BECOMES ELIGIBLE.
IT IS GOING TO BE ON MONDAY.
HOPEFULLY, THAT'S GIVEN ENOUGH
TIME FOR THESE VACCINATION SITES
TO FIGURE OUT THE LOGISTICS, TO
FIGURE OUT ONLINE PROGRAMMING,
ONLINE SCHEDULING, TO FIGURE
OUT, OKAY, MAYBE WE NEED WALK-IN
CLINICS OR FIGURE OUT, OH, WE
NEED POPUP CLINICS OR MASS
VACCINATION SITES.
IT GIVES MORE TIME FOR THOSE
THINGS TO WORK OUT THE KINKS AND
HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, SOUNDS LIKE
WE ARE OPTIMISTIC THAT THE
SUPPLY WILL THEN BE THERE TO
REALLY GET THE WHOLE POPULATION
VACCINATED.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WE NEED TO LEAVE IT THERE.
LOTS OF GREAT INFORMATION.
BRAM SABLE-SMITH, THANK YOU SO
MUCH, AND GOOD LUCK TO YOU ON
MONDAY GETTING YOUR VACCINE.
>> PLEASURE, THANK YOU FOR
HAVING ME, AND THANKS SO MUCH!
>> FOR MORE FROM "HEAR & NOW"
AND PBS WISCONSIN, VISIT
PBSWISCONSIN.ORG AND THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR JOINING US ON "NOON
WEDNESDAY."