WISCONSIN (NBC 26) — MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin is launching a mobile coronavirus vaccination program next week to be operated by the Wisconsin National Guard and health officials, Gov. Tony Evers announced Friday.
Nine mobile labs will be dispatched across the state starting Tuesday, Evers said. They will be staffed by members of the National Guard as well as pharmacy and nursing student volunteers through a partnership with the University of Wisconsin System.
As more vaccine is released to the state, the program will expand access with local partners, Evers said.
“It has always been our goal to get folks vaccinated as quickly, safely, and equitably as possible,” Evers said. “These mobile vaccination teams are going to help us do just that by continuing to expand vaccine distribution across our state, leveraging partnerships and our best resources to meet folks where they are in their own communities.”
The University of Wisconsin System is also expanding a $500 tuition credit for eligible students who volunteer to do vaccinations, the governor’s office said.
Evers also announced Friday that pharmacy chains CVS and Walgreens will start vaccinating residents and staff in assisted living facilities on Jan. 25. The chains have been working to vaccinate nursing home residents and staff since Dec. 28. As of Friday, 261 of the state’s 361 nursing homes had completed their first doses, state health officials said.
A total of 213,056 people had been vaccinated in the state as of Friday, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services said. To date, nearly 516,000 people in the state have tested positive for COVID-19 and 5,290 have died.
As the state continues to expand vaccination efforts, Gov. Evers explained that COVID-19 has not gone away. Wisconsinites are still encouraged to mask up, stay physically distant, and wash hands frequently to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and keep communities safe. For information, resources, and data related to Wisconsin’s COVID-19 vaccination program, visit the COVID-19 vaccine page.
For up-to-date information about Wisconsin’s COVID-19 response, visit the DHS's COVID-19 webpage.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.