FROM THE LANGLADE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT

DISEASE UPDATES:
In the previous two weeks:
– The Burden of Illness for Langlade County was 25.3 per 100,000 and is still considered MODERATE. (WI Burden of Illness was 106 per 100,000).
– The Positivity Rate for Langlade County was 0.5% and is still considered LOW. Only 520 tests were performed during that time period. (WI Positivity Rate was 2.5%).

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has released a new webpage dedicated to variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. For more information please visit: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/variants.htm

VACCINATION UPDATES:
Groups that are currently eligible to receive the vaccine include:
– Health care workers
– EMS, fire department and police departments
– Persons aged 65 and older
– Education and child care staff
– People enrolled in Medicaid long-term care programs
– Some public-facing essential workers (Includes chef, server or host in a restaurant)
– Non-frontline essential health care personnel
– Facility staff and residents in congregate living settings
– Spiritual care providers
People age 16 and older with certain medical conditions:
– Asthma (moderate-to-severe)
– Cancer
– Cerebrovascular disease (affects blood vessels and blood supply to the brain)
– Chronic kidney disease
– COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
– Cystic fibrosis
– Diabetes mellitus type 1 or 2
– Down syndrome
– Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies
– Hypertension or high blood pressure
– Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system)

– Liver disease
– Neurologic conditions, such as intellectual disabilities and dementia
– Severe Obesity (BMI 40 kg/m2 or more)
– Obesity (body mass index [BMI of 30-39 kg/m2)
– Overweight (BMI of 25-29 kg/m2)
– Pregnancy
– Pulmonary fibrosis (having damaged or scarred lung tissues)
– Sickle cell disease
– Thalassemia (a type of blood disorder)
WI DHS anticipates the general public will be eligible for the vaccine sometime in May.

The fourth community-based vaccination clinic in the state will open in Marathon County on April 6 at the Northcentral Technical Colleg —Center for Business and Industry Building in Wausau. The clinic will be open Tuesday through Saturday, from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Individuals must register for an appointment using the Wisconsin COVID-19 Vaccine Registry at https://vaccinate.wi.gov/en-US/

• To view a map of vaccine providers please visit: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/vaccine-map.htm
• For questions about the COVID-19 vaccine and appointment registration support call 844-684-1064 (toll-free).

WI DHS has launched a redesign of the vaccine distribution summary on the COVID-19 data page at https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/vaccine-data.htm. The new dashboard displays key metrics related to Wisconsin’s COVID-19 vaccination program.

**We would like to clarify a recent Langlade County Health Department Q&A that was published in a healthWISE column in the Antigo Daily Journal this month: “How long does the COVID-19 vaccine take to work?” You are considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19 if it has been two or more weeks since you got your second dose in a two-dose series (such as Pfizer or Moderna), or one dose of a single-dose vaccine (such as Johnson & Johnson). We apologize for any confusion.

People who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can engage in some social situations. These include:
• Visiting with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing.
• Visiting with unvaccinated people from a single household who are all at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease, indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing.
• Refraining from quarantine and testing following a known exposure, if asymptomatic.

STATE AND COUNTY DATA: As of Thursday, March 25, 2021:
• 27.3% of Wisconsin residents have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

73.7% of Wisconsinites aged 65 and over have received at least one dose of vaccine.
• 25.6% of Langlade County residents have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
• In total (first and second doses) 7738 doses have been given to Langlade County residents.
• 65.8% of Langlade County residents aged 65 and over have received at least one dose of vaccine.

LANGLADE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT DATA: As of Thursday, March 25, 2021:
• Langlade County Health Department has administered 2607 total doses.
• Of these doses: 1950 have been first doses.
• In total, the Langlade County Health Department has provided approximately 34% of the total vaccinations received by its’ county residents.
(Benchmark for local health departments is 14%.)

For additional information please see the CDC website, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website or the Langlade County Health Department website. You can also follow us on Facebook.