State health officials announce 20 medical conditions eligible for Covid-19 vaccine

MADISON, Wisconsin – The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has released the medical conditions for people aged 16 and older who will be eligible for a Covid-19 vaccine starting March 29. The list includes 20 conditions such as asthma, cancer, heart problems and obesity, liver disease, type 1 and 2 diabetes, and pregnancy. (See the full list at the bottom of this article.)

The group consists of around 2 million or more individuals, and officials warn that it may be necessary to prioritize within each group based on severity, age, number of illnesses a individual and living in a community that has been disproportionately affected by the virus.

“Due to the limited supply of vaccines and with this next eligible group possibly adding more than 2 million individuals in Wisconsin eligible for the vaccine, providers may need to prioritize individuals in this population who are over. at risk, ”a DHS press release stated.

State health officials estimate that everyone in Wisconsin aged 16 and over will become eligible for the vaccine in May. President Joe Biden has previously said there will be vaccines for everyone by the end of May and this week announced a partnership planned to purchase an additional 100 million doses from Johnson & Johnson. Currently, Wisconsin health officials say they expect the supply of the J&J vaccine to increase from the end of the month through April.

“The three available COVID-19 vaccines are incredibly safe and effective in preventing infections, serious illness and death. These vaccines save lives. This is why we are committed to ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to be protected from the virus, ”Karen Timberlake, acting secretary of DHS, said in a press release.

The medical conditions included come from recommendations provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as work previously done by the state’s vaccine advisory subcommittee, officials said. However, the state’s Disaster Medical Advisory Committee has not met since the state put them on hiatus in February after they finished providing guidance for Phases 1A and 1B in Wisconsin. DHS dodged questions at a press conference earlier this month on whether it plans to reconvene the board of directors to issue phase recommendations for 1C, saying it has “Conversations” with board members and other medical experts.

Currently, vaccine-eligible 1B groups include educators, child care centers, grocery store workers, other non-frontline health workers, and people (including prisoners ) living in collective living quarters. These are in addition to healthcare workers, police and firefighters, long-term care workers, and people over 65 in Wisconsin. Almost 20% of the state’s adult population received their first dose, including about 65% of the population 65 and older.

“We urge those eligible and at highest risk to get vaccinated, as each shot means we are one step closer to returning to our way of life in Wisconsin,” Governor Tony Evers said in a prepared statement. .

Full list of 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
• Down syndrome
• Heart problems, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies
• Hypertension or high blood pressure
• Immunosuppressed condition (weakened immune system) due to a solid organ transplant, blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, the use of corticosteroids or the use of other weakening drugs immune system
• Liver disease
• Neurological conditions, such as dementia
• Obesity (body mass index [BMI] from 30 to 39 kg / m2)
• Overweight (BMI 25 to 29 kg / m2)
• Pregnancy
• Pulmonary fibrosis (having damaged or scarred lung tissue)
• Severe obesity (BMI 40 kg / m2 or more)
• Sickle cell anemia
• Diabetes mellitus type 1 or 2
• Thalassemia (a type of blood disorder)

This coverage will be updated

COPYRIGHT 2021 BY CHANNEL 3000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE POSTED, BROADCAST, REWRITED OR REDISTRIBUTED.