MADISON, Wis. — All Wisconsinites ages 16 and up will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccines starting April 5.
Gov. Tony Evers made the announcement Tuesday, just a day after the state hit the milestone of more than 1 million residents being fully vaccinated.
BREAKING: Wisconsin leads the nation in getting available shots in arms, and today we’re announcing everyone 16 and older will be eligible to receive a #COVID19 vaccine starting next week. pic.twitter.com/WCvKVRms4K
— Governor Tony Evers (@GovEvers) March 30, 2021
“It won’t all happen at once, but I know I’m not alone in feeling the hope, excitement and relief that we all have anxiously awaited for this year,” Evers said during a Wisconsin Department of Health Services press briefing on Tuesday.
Evers went on to say that while eligibility is expanding, supply, while steady, is still limited. As people wait to schedule their vaccination appointments, they should continue to follow CDC guidelines, mask up and avoid gathering with people from multiple households.
Hours before the announcement, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services announced seven additional pharmacy chains will start receiving vaccines this week through the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program.
On Monday, President Joe Biden announced a new goal of making the vast majority of adults in the U.S. eligible for vaccination by April 19. He previously set a goal of May 1.
Earlier this month, eligibility opened up to an estimated 2 million Wisconsinites when DHS opted to make residents with certain medical conditions eligible.
Gov. Evers and state health officials held a press conference Tuesday afternoon to answer questions about advancing eligibility. Watch the full press conference below.
This is a breaking story that will be updated.
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