MADISON, Wisconsin (WMTV) – With eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine expanding widely on Monday in Wisconsin, UW Health is offering new ways to register for a vaccination appointment.
You can now schedule an appointment on your own, through an online portal, or you can sign up for a vaccine for the same day at one of the many clinics operated by UW Health.
The switch to automatic scheduling means that UW Health will no longer contact people to let them know they are eligible.
“Over time, the number of people eligible for the vaccine is getting bigger and bigger and it becomes logistically very difficult to have a system that can determine who is next in the prioritization scheme,” said Dr. Jeff Pothof, Chief UW Health Official Quality Standard.
Through the online system, individuals can verify that they are eligible and reserve an appropriate time and date for them.
“This approach that we now adopt is more in line with what is happening in the state. Where it puts more responsibility for the patient to find his vaccine, ”explained Dr. Jeff Pothof
Consultations for the same day are based on how many vaccines are left at the end of the day, if any. Most doses administered by UW Health are made on a schedule, but due to the short shelf life that a vaccine has once mixed in a syringe or withdrawn from cold storage, extras will be administered based on this list.
“This is something that we want to offer. Both for convenience, ”said Dr. Pothof. “But also as a way of ensuring that we are not wasting any doses of the vaccine.”
You do not need to be a UW Health patient to schedule an appointment, but you do need to be eligible at this time.
On Monday, DHS expanded eligibility to include individuals with underlying health conditions. It is estimated that 2 million Wisconsin residents qualify as having at least one of the conditions listed, which means that more than half of Wisconsin’s population may now have a chance.
UW Health will not examine individuals on their medical history or employment status to see if they are eligible for the injection.
“For this process, a certificate is really necessary. One patient says yes, I carry this condition and there is a little Scout honor to say that people are being truthful so that we can vaccinate them, ”said Dr. Pothof.
UW Health officials note that the availability of consultations is based on the delivery of the vaccine. Dr. Pothof explained that UW’s vaccine supply has increased in recent weeks, “but it’s still nowhere near what it needs to be to really maximize our vaccination capacity.”
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