Herd immunity may come this fall in Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A key state health department leader is hedging on whether Wisconsin can attain COVID-19 herd immunity by mid-2021.

Department of Health Services Deputy Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk has previously said that 70% of Wisconsin’s population would need to be vaccinated to attain herd immunity.

The state could reach that benchmark by July. Vaccination rates have slowed dramatically and are now growing at only about 1% a week.

Willems Van Dijk tells The Associated Press that it’s still possible Wisconsin reaches the 70% mark by July if vaccination rates increase.  Right now it appears the state won’t get there until September or October.