MADISON, Wis. — Health officials say Dane County has reached another milestone when it comes to protecting itself from COVID-19, but their work is not done when it comes to trying to reach pockets of people who are still unvaccinated.
Public Health Madison and Dane County said Monday that 70% of people in the county — 382,535 people — have now received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine, and 67.3% of people have been fully vaccinated.
Those numbers translate into more than 80% of the eligible population — people aged 12 and older — receiving at least one dose, leading to Dane County being recognized as one of the most-vaccinated counties in America.
“This milestone provides us with an opportunity to recognize and reflect on the progress we have made toward bringing our county to the other side of this pandemic,” PHMDC director Janel Heinrich said in a statement. “I want to take this opportunity to thank each and every person who rolled up their sleeves to help bring us to this point.”
Despite the overall success in the county, health leaders say they continue to be concerned about the disparity when it comes to communities of color in the county. According to PHMDC’s latest data, 58.4% of the county’s Hispanic community have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and only 37.6% of the county’s Black community have received the shot.
Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway says the city will continue its efforts to reach those communities.
“We will not stop now,” Rhodes-Conway said in a statement. “We will continue to provide equitable access to the vaccine and engage our community on the importance of getting vaccinated.”
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