Kenosha County distributing COVID-19 vaccine to frontline workers

The Kenosha County Division of Health is now helping to provide the COVID-19 vaccine to  frontline health care personnel, with an initial emphasis on emergency medical services  workers, Health Officer Dr. Jen Freiheit said today. 

Freiheit said Kenosha County is one of eight public health departments in Wisconsin that  received supplies of the vaccine this week. 

Kenosha County took delivery of 300 doses, many of which have been transferred to the  Kenosha Fire Department, which has been trained to vaccinate its emergency medical  technicians. Others are being administered to first responders and other first-tier health care  workers by county public health nurses. 

“We were ready and prepared to receive early supplies of the vaccine, and we’re now one of  the first health departments in the state to get shots in the arms of frontline health care  workers,” Freiheit said. “We will continue coordinating the release of the vaccine as quickly as  we can receive it. We ask for the public’s patience as we mark this important milestone.” 

Following tiers defined by a state advisory group, individuals who provide direct patient service  or engage in health care services that place them into contact with patients who may have  COVID-19 are defined as Tier 1a, the only group currently eligible for vaccination. 

Vaccine eligibility for subsequent tiers including other population groups and, eventually, the  general public, will be announced at future dates, pending federal and state guidance. 

“We know many people are very eager to receive the vaccine and, eventually, put COVID-19  behind them,” Freiheit said. “Access for future tiers over the coming months will be announced  as soon as possible. We ask that people please refrain from calling the Division of Health with  questions about vaccine availability, as our staff remains very busy processing a high volume of  COVID-19 cases and, now, the limited rollout of the vaccine.” 

Freiheit said it remains important to continue important precautions to prevent the further  spread of COVID-19.