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“First AW COVID Vaccine Recipient” is a photo of Dr. Joseph Weber, Critical Care Pulmonologist at Ascension SE Wisconsin Hospital-Franklin Campus, the first recipient of a COVID-19 Vaccine at Ascension Wisconsin. (Courtesy Ascension)

First COVID vaccination administered in Wisconsin on Wednesday

By Patrick Lynn

Ascension Wisconsin announced on Thursday it had completed the first COVID-19 vaccinations of frontline caregivers on Dec. 16.

Frontline caregivers in southeast Wisconsin were among the first in the state to receive the coronavirus vaccine as part of a “multi-phased program” that will eventually expand to other parts of the state as more doses become available.

“We are confident our plan will effectively and safely contribute to the protection of the communities we are privileged to serve,” said Gregory Brusko, DO, Chief Clinical Officer, Ascension Wisconsin.

It’s not immediately clear when the vaccine would arrive in Portage Co., as information from the state’s Department of Health Services has been limited and changes frequently, according to Assistant EMS Chief Joe Gemza.

“I’d expect additional information sometime next week,” Gemza said on Thursday.

Portage Co. Executive Chris Holman said he believes the lack of details stems from “the initial distribution being limited in quantity and being early in the stages of everything.”

“The state’s focus is probably just on getting everything up and running and prepared for more vaccines being delivered,” Holman said on Thursday.

The Marshfield Clinic Health System was previously identified as the distribution hub for the vaccine in central Wisconsin, receiving its first shipment of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday.

Holman said he believes the state is working with those distribution hubs directly.

“I’m also sure that before we and other entities are more involved, the discussions from the state will increase,” he said. “It will probably be pretty dynamic overall and require some degree of flexibility since we’ll have more vaccine companies coming online soon.”

The first group eligible to receive the vaccines are frontline caregivers; those serving in emergency departments, COVID-19 units, and intensive care units.

For Ascension, that includes both associates and affiliated physicians and providers.

“As we await widespread distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines, it will be critical for our entire community to continue wearing masks, watching distance from others, and washing hands frequently to protect ourselves and those around us,” said Robyn Schertz, MD, Vice President of Medical Affairs, Ascension St. Michael’s Hospital, Stevens Point.

According to Portage Co. Health and Human Services Director Ray Przybelski, the county will likely offer the COVID vaccine to the public in a similar manner as it would as the flu vaccine. The county already has mass-vaccination plans in place, he said, but the coronavirus vaccine won’t be available for several months.

Additional information about the COVID-19 vaccine is available at https://healthcare.ascension.org/covid-19/covid-vaccine.