Mar. 23, 2021 5:25p
(WGTD)---A large-scale COVID vaccination clinic in vacant space at Racine's Regency Mall opened in the same week that Kenosha's mass vaccination clinic in the former Shopko Dept. Store building on 52nd St. scaled back its operation because of a lack of vaccine.
What gives?
Speaking at the Racine opening Tuesday, Wisconsin Department of Health Services Secretary-designee Karen Timberlake said vaccine distribution in the state is still a balancing act in which few sites get as much vaccine as they'd like. "We are looking to make sure we are getting vaccine to some of our community clinics, our free clinics and our other sites where we know we're going to be able to reach for example diverse populations that have lagged behind in vaccination rates," Timberlake said when questioned by WGTD's David Cole about the disparity.
According to numbers from the state, about 24% of the state's white population has received at least one dose of the vaccine compared to under 10% of the total number of Black residents. African-Americans make up almost a-quarter of Racine's population compared to 11.5% of Kenosha's.
The clinic at Regency Mall is expected to be open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Appointments are required by either visiting vaccinate.wi.gov or by calling 844-684-1064. The Kenosha County Health Dept. clinic scaled back its operation from two days per week to one day, after having hoped to be open more than two days per week. The number of 1st doses that the Kenosha clinic received slipped from around 2,000 last week to under 1,200 this week.
In first doses administered to its populations, Kenosha County leads Racine County, 24.6% to 23.8%, according to numbers provided by the state Tuesday.
Timberlake said the state over time expects to increase allocations to all of the vaccination sites in the state. "As vaccine supply continues to improve so does our ability to guarantee a minimum amount of vaccine to some community sites, like the one you're referring to," Timberlake said. "And we will be working as hard as we can to get to that point as soon as we can."
She said the number of doses that Wisconsin is receiving from the federal government is less than half of what clinics in the state are able to use.
-0-
