Where you can get the vaccine in Wisconsin
Wisconsin is in its 12th week of vaccines and moving through phases of those who are eligible.
The first vaccines went to health care providers and people in long-term care facilities. In the months since, it has expanded to anyone 65 or older, police officers, firefighters and correctional staff, and teachers and child care workers.
There are several kinds of places that are providing vaccinations. Most but not all are getting their vaccine from the state’s allocation of the vaccine, which can vary from week to week.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has published a map and list of vaccine providers in the state at dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/ vaccine-map.htm.
Here’s a rundown.
Health systems
Health systems are contacting their patients who are 65 and older through phone, text, email and patient portals, such as MyChart, to schedule appointments.
Aurora Health Care, Ascension Wisconsin and ProHealth are giving priority, based on age, medical conditions and other factors, to patients most at risk of becoming severely ill from COVID-19.
Most of the health systems have several vaccination sites. Ascension Wisconsin, for instance, has 14 statewide and four in Milwaukee County.
The health systems get their doses from the state. The allocations have increased over time but vary weekly, and are usually less than the demand for the vaccine.
Community health centers
Community health centers are also receiving vaccine doses from the state, and contacting patients who are eligible. Sixteen Street Community Health Centers in Milwaukee, for instance, is contacting patients by text message or phone call to schedule appointments.
People who are eligible in the next phase of the vaccine rollout can also call 414-672-1353 to schedule an appointment. They are encouraged to call between 5 and 7 p.m. for shorter wait times. Progressive Community Health Centers also is giving vaccinations three days a week.
People who are eligible in the next phase of the vaccine rollout can call 414935-800 to schedule an appointment or be placed on a wait list.
Walgreens
Many Wisconsin Walgreens locations are receiving vaccine shipments directly from the federal government through the new Federal Retail Pharmacy Program.
Those who are eligible for the vaccine in Wisconsin can register online at walgreens.com/findcare/vaccination/ covid-19 or by calling 1-800-925-4733.
The number of doses varies from week to week.
Meijer
You can get on a list for a vaccine appointment by visiting clinic.meijer.com, texting COVID to 75049 or calling or visiting your local Meijer pharmacy. Be prepared to answer a few questions to determine if you’re eligible for the vaccine.
People with appointments will be contacted with a date. They will be able to decline the date offered in favor of a later date, or opt out of the process.
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Metro Market and Pick ’n Save
Some Kroger grocery stores with pharmacies are receiving vaccine from the state and also have ways to sign up to get a vaccine.
Both Metro Market and Pick ’n Save have an online tool to check if you are eligible to receive the vaccine and to check appointment availability. Go to metromarket.net/rx/covid-eligibility or picknsave.com/rx/covid-eligibility.
Some local pharmacies
Independent pharmacies are getting vaccines from the state’s supply, which can vary from week to week.
Some pharmacies have ways to register for a vaccine on their websites or to put your name on a waiting list. Others have set up walk-in vaccination clinics.
Hayat Pharmacy in Milwaukee, for example, is offering the vaccine to eligible people at walk-in clinics at various locations in Milwaukee. Its website lists the dates, times and locations of the clinics. The pharmacy tells people to bring their ID, confirmation of their eligibility and their insurance card or Medicare Part B ID. People should expect to wait, the website says.
Hometown Pharmacy allows people to put their names on a waiting list to receive the vaccine. People can select one of their locations online and fill out a form to get on the list.
Forward Pharmacy in the Madison area also allows people to join a waiting list online. The pharmacy also has a way to schedule vaccine appointments online when they are available.
Your local pharmacy may have a waiting list or be setting up vaccine appointments. Check its website or social media page for information.
County and city health departments
Many local health departments are carrying out vaccinations with doses they’re receiving from the state.
The Milwaukee Health Department has a vaccination site at the downtown Wisconsin Center, 400 W. Wisconsin Ave.
You can check your eligibility and sign up for vaccinations from the city at milwaukee.gov/covidvax. If you need help setting up an appointment, call 414-286-6800 or email askmhdcovid19@milwaukee.gov.
Other health departments in Milwaukee County are also providing vaccinations. More information can be found at HealthyMKE.com.
In Dane County, Public Health Madison & Dane County is providing vaccinations at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, 1919 Alliant Energy Center Way, by appointment. More information is available at publichealthmdc.com /coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine.
Elsewhere in the state, you can check your city or county website to determine whether your local health department is offering vaccines. For example, Calumet County in northeastern Wisconsin has an online registration for appointments on its website that opens each Monday morning.
Community vaccine clinics
Several local communities and the state have set up community vaccination clinics.
The only state-sponsored community vaccination site is in Rock County, at Blackhawk Technical College. People who are eligible for the vaccine and live or work in Rock County are encouraged to fill out a vaccine request form on the health department’s website, co.rock.wi.us.
Four more state-sponsored sites are expected to open in the coming months. Three will be in Racine, La Crosse and Marathon counties. The fourth will be split between Douglas and Barron counties.
There are two community clinics administering the vaccine in the Fox Cities. In Appleton, people can make an appointment at the Fox Cities Exhibition Center site by visiting foxcitiescovidvaccine.com or calling 920-399-2550. In Oshkosh, the Culver Family Welcome Center on the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh campus is accepting appointments for eligible people at uwosh.edu/titans-return/vaccination.
Some tribal communities also have vaccination sites open to people who meet their eligibility criteria. Check the tribes’ websites or social media pages for information about eligibility and how to go.
The Ho-Chunk Nation has been holding weekly vaccination clinics, one at the House of Wellness, S2845 White Eagle Road, Baraboo, and the other at District 1 Community Center, N7261 Warrior Ave., Black River Falls. Those eligible can preregister at health.ho-chunk.com/cv19/vaccine or by calling 715-284-9851.
Veterans Affairs centers
Veterans Affairs centers get their vaccine directly from the federal government
The Milwaukee VA Center is working through its list of about 30,000 eligible veterans age 65 and older by calling them and offering appointments.
Vets are advised not to call for an appointment, but they can go to va.gov to express interest in getting vaccinated, said VA spokesman Gary Kunich. Either way, they will be called when their name comes up.
Veterans who have received a vaccination from another source are asked to call their VA health care team so they can be taken off the list.
The vaccinations are being done at several sites on the VA grounds in Milwaukee as well as VA locations in Green Bay, Appleton, Cleveland and Union Grove.