Increasing COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance

Vaccination is a critical tool for containing the virus and minimizing the adverse impact of COVID-19. The State of Wisconsin seeks to achieve herd immunity for COVID-19 across Wisconsin by immunizing approximately 80% of the eligible population. From other vaccination efforts, we understand it will take significant effort to achieve this goal. While childhood vaccinations like MMR are relatively high, there are also school vaccine requirements that make it easier to achieve this goal. In typical influenza vaccination season in Wisconsin, approximately 40% of individuals aged 6 months and older receive at least one dose of influenza vaccine with marked differences in coverage rates based on race and ethnicity. This underscores the need for transformative work that addresses the underlying causes in order to achieve the current COVID-19 vaccination goal. Ongoing efforts to distribute the vaccine safely, efficiently, and equitably must include strategies to ensure that vaccines reach communities that face barriers to accessing medical care and people who have historical mistrust of the medical community and vaccines. DHS anticipates the possibility that annual booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine may be necessary to maintain community