The Department of Health Services (DHS) has released new data features on the COVID-19 vaccine data page. The first includes additional information on the Vaccine Distribution Summary table, which now breaks down how many doses providers in Wisconsin have ordered and how many doses are in transit to vaccine locations. The second feature includes four new visualizations that show total vaccinations and percent coverage by age and sex.

“Providing Wisconsinites with the most relevant data to understand the process of vaccinating the state against COVID-19 is an iterative process,” said DHS Secretary-designee Andrea Palm. “We will continue striving to make our COVID-19 vaccine data page a helpful source of information for anyone seeking an up-to-date look at the state’s vaccination program.”

The federal government allocates COVID-19 vaccine to Wisconsin based on population size. Once the vaccine is allocated, Wisconsin places an order with the federal government so they know exactly where to send the vaccine. Similar to ordering a package online, once a vaccine is shipped it can still take several days to reach its final destination. Moderna vaccine is shipped directly to providers throughout the state. Pfizer vaccine, due to its storage and handling requirements, is shipped to hubs with ultra-cold freezers where it is then broken down into smaller quantities and delivered to spoke vaccination sites. Once the vaccine arrives at a location, vaccinators can begin implementing the clinic schedule for the week. Each vaccine takes moments to administer, but patient education, data collection, and monitoring for side effects take additional time based on each participant.

The new Ordered category on the Vaccine Distribution Summary represents the cumulative number of doses that have been ordered by COVID-19 vaccine providers in Wisconsin and shipped by the federal government from the state’s total allocation. Orders are placed weekly by Wisconsin based on the number of vaccines providers have the capacity to schedule and safely administer per week. As more providers enroll to administer COVID-19 vaccine and the federal government allocates more vaccine to Wisconsin, this number will increase. The In Transit category reflects COVID-19 vaccine orders from the previous week that have been shipped by the federal government and are en route to vaccine locations in Wisconsin.

The new age and sex visualizations display vaccination data by total doses received and percent coverage of Wisconsin residents. The total number represents how many Wisconsinites have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and is broken down by age groups and gender. Coverage is calculated as a percent of the total population within each category and helps us understand how well different populations are protected from COVID-19. Until COVID-19 vaccines become widely available to the general public, we expect these coverage percentages to be relatively small.

COVID-19 vaccines will be an important tool in controlling the pandemic. Masking up, staying physically distant, and washing hands will continue to be crucial tools for protecting ourselves and our communities against COVID-19. It will take many months to vaccinate all Wisconsinites and it is important to double down on ways to stop the spread as we continue rolling out the vaccine.

For up-to-date information about Wisconsin’s COVID-19 response, visit the DHS COVID-19 webpage. We encourage you to follow @DHSWI on Facebook, Twitter, or dhs.wi on Instagram for more information on COVID-19.