As Wisconsin's COVID-19 vaccine supply increases, some local vaccinators said it's the first time they are receiving enough doses to meet demand. Others said they'll still need more.
During a state call Thursday, Department of Health Services officials said vaccinators administered more than 311,000 doses across the state just last week. That's about a 33 percent increase from what the state saw in February.
The state was receiving 70,000 vaccine doses a week in late January and early February. Julie Willems Van Dijk, deputy secretary for DHS, said during the call Wisconsin expects to receive the largest number of doses yet from the federal government next week.
She said the state has been promised about 35,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, in addition to about 56,000 Moderna doses and 80,000 Pfizer doses. Van Dijk said the Moderna and Pfizer vaccine numbers only include first doses.
Prevea Health is set to receive 12,000 of those first doses Monday for its vaccination clinics across the state.
“This is by far the best week of supply this coming week," said Dr. Ashok Rai, president and CEO of Prevea Health. "So what will be delivered Monday is the best that at least we’ve seen since the beginning of the vaccination progress. Hopefully that continues.”
Prevea opened 12,000 appointment slots late Thursday night for its Community COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics. Rai said as of this afternoon, some days are already about half full.
Rai said Prevea crossed over 100,000 vaccine doses administered Tuesday.
He said he feels supply is starting to meet demand.
“The manufacturing companies are suddenly pumping it out and getting it to us much faster than maybe they were in December, January, or February," Rai said. "Toward the end of March we’re seeing great success, and if April continues like it is, we’ll be able to move through our state’s population much faster than I think people thought we would.”
Wisconsin's vaccine supply increase comes as about 2 million more people with certain medical conditions became eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine Monday.
Bellin Health officials said demand still outpaces supply at their COVID-19 vaccination clinics, especially the newly-opened site at Lambeau Field.
"It seems that we open a few hundred appointments and within a 24 hours period they're gone," said Sharla Baenen, chief operating officer with Bellin Health.
Bellin Health is partnering with the Green Bay Packers and Brown County Public Health on the community COVID-19 vaccination site at Lambeau.
Baenen said 900 people are getting the shot there per day. She said they didn't expect the number to be that high for a few more weeks.
"We're getting the doses, I think, that support the staffing we have to deliver the vaccine there, but we know we have capacity to build a little bit more there," Baenen said. "I anticipate in the next couple weeks we'll get a little more supply again as the state gets more supply."
Eligible individuals can schedule a COVID-19 vaccination appointment at MyBellinHealth or call the COVID-19 Hotline at 920-445-7313.
Officials said the fastest way to schedule an appointment at a Prevea Community Covid-19 Vaccination Clinic is online through MyPrevea, which shows all available appointments. Those that don't have internet access can call 833-344-4373 to schedule an appointment.
