ALLOUEZ (NBC 26) — It was business as usual Thursday at The Original Austin's Grocery Store in Allouez as customers bought groceries while wearing face coverings.
Deemed an essential business during the COVID-19 pandemic, the 60 or so employees at The Original Austin's are now able to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Grocery store employees became part of the group eligible to receive the vaccine in Wisconsin on March 1.
That includes Joshua Derpinghaus, a night store manager at The Original Austin's.
“We’ve been on the front lines, so to speak, throughout the whole pandemic; never shutting down or closing down," Derpinghaus said. "It’s nice to be able to have the piece of mind to be able to get the vaccine, and be safe from getting sick or bringing it home to our families unintentionally. I’m happy for it and I plan on getting it as soon as I can make the time to make the trip for the two shots.”
There are about 72,000 grocery store workers in Wisconsin, according to the Wisconsin Grocers Association. All of them are next up for the coronavirus vaccine behind educators and those age 65 and up, whom the Department of Health has given priority.
"Since March of last year, grocery store workers, the entire industry, has been considered essential," said Brandon Scholz, president of the WGA. "I think the most important thing for workers and people in the grocery business in Wisconsin is there's a plan in place."
During a state call Thursday, Julie Willems Van Dijk, DHS deputy secretary, said plans submitted by local health departments and school districts show the majority of K-12 staff could be vaccinated by the end of March. At that time, she said more vaccines should be available to other groups in Phase 1B of the state's distribution plan, which includes grocery store workers.
She said all people grouped into this second phase are eligible for the vaccine right now, and may be able to get it sooner depending on where they live.
"You don’t have to sit there and say, ‘well I can’t have a vaccine until every single person over age 65 and every teacher in my community is vaccinated,'" Van Dijk said during the call. "If you are reaching out to a vaccinator, and they have slots available, and you’re a grocery store worker, get a vaccine.”
She said some pharmacies like Walgreens and Pick 'N Save might have slots available.
In fact, Scholz received his COVID-19 vaccine on Thursday.
"The vaccination is now kind of the next step: What else could be done to stop the COVID spread, and the vaccination is part of that," Scholz said. "So you've got to be patient, but we will get there."
Scholz said it's possible mask requirements, along with other coronavirus safety and sanitation practices, could remain at grocery stores in Wisconsin through the end of the year.
“We’re all looking forward to some time in the future when we’ll get to somewhere close to where we were. We won’t always be here. But in the meantime, we’re going to continue to just take steps forward to make sure that, as an industry, we’re part of the solution," Scholz said.
DHS announced Thursday a vaccine assistance hotline people can call if they need information on vaccine provider locations, help with the vaccine registry, or more information on the COVID vaccine. People can call the hotline at 844-684-1064.
