Waukesha County Expo Center Added to County's Network of Vaccination Clinics
(Waukesha, WI) – On Monday, February 8, 2021 the Waukesha County Expo Center will open as a community vaccination clinic, expanding the network of sites that currently include area hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and fire stations. The Center will initially complete vaccination of Phase 1A healthcare workers and emergency responders, and certain members of the Phase 1B group as identified by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS). The Center is not open to the public at this time.
Vaccinations will only be available to individuals who have been invited to register and schedule an appointment. The site will not be open for “drop in” by members of the public. Individuals 65 or older should work with their primary caregiver to receive vaccine.
“Although there is not yet enough vaccine for everyone who is eligible, supply will gradually begin to increase,” said Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow. “Expanding our network of vaccination sites means we’ll be able to scale our operation to meet the high demand in our community as access to vaccine grows. Vaccination is the key to beating this pandemic, and Waukesha County is committed to a safe, efficient process to protect our residents.”
The Waukesha County Expo Center Community Vaccination Clinic
The opening of the Waukesha County Expo Center site will shift vaccination of remaining Phase 1A healthcare workers, such as dentists, chiropractors, and home care providers, to a large, central location. The County’s fire department-based vaccination clinics will continue to operate in coordination with the new, larger site to focus on this group.
When the state opens vaccination to all Phase 1B individuals, the Expo Center will serve as a central point to conduct coordinated vaccination of essential personnel, such as 911 dispatchers, school staff, and other essential workers. It is anticipated the Expo Center will be available to the general population later in the year when the state moves into other phases of the vaccine rollout.
Waukesha County Public Health plans to administer 1,000 vaccines per day from this site through February, as vaccine supply allows. The County will expand operations at this location in March, with a goal of administering 1,500 vaccines per day, based upon availability.
Vaccination of Adults 65 and Older
Healthcare partners will continue to focus on vaccination of adults 65 and older, as the majority of those individuals are already connected to one of Waukesha County’s healthcare organizations.
Additional vaccination opportunities will be available in the future. Waukesha County currently has dozens of registered vaccinators who are preparing to take part in this process once access to vaccine grows.
Residents Can Sign Up for Weekly Vaccination Updates
Waukesha County residents can sign up to receive a weekly communication about COVID-19 and vaccination information. These updates will go out every Thursday, after the Vaccine Data tab on Waukesha County’s COVID-19 dashboard is updated. Residents can sign up by texting WAUKESHA to the number 22828 or by visiting www.waukeshacounty.gov/COVID19.
Connected Unaffiliated Providers to Vaccine
Waukesha County continues to match unaffiliated healthcare providers, like dentists and home healthcare professionals, with hospitals, pharmacies, the consortium of fire departments in Waukesha County and other organizations that have registered to vaccinate.
This network will expand significantly as DHS provides final approval and access to vaccines to additional organizations in the weeks ahead. Waukesha County is also assisting organizations that are interested in becoming registered vaccinators. Organizations that want to be connected to vaccine or help with the vaccination effort can find more information at www.waukeshacounty.gov/covidvaccine.
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