MARINETTE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A COVID-19 vaccine clinic in Marinette County open for business.
The clinic at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Marinette Campus Fieldhouse is operated by Prevea Health and the Marinette County Public Health Department.
Gov. Tony Evers and other state officials, along with Prevea Health mmanagment toured the clinic.
Marinette County health officer Molly Bonjean says the county is ready to administer more vaccine.
“In rural counties we experience a lot of limited recourses, we are a large county, we are the third largest county in Wisconsin, so it’s an hour and a half to drive from one end to the other.”
The new clinic is aware of vaccine shipment delays across the country.
“We were protected from that delay last week we received everything we ordered last week, this week we do expect a slight delay,” said Wisconsin Department of Health Services interim secretary, Karen Timberlake.
Timberlake says all Wisconsin vaccine orders should still be fulfilled.
“It will just be a day or two later then we otherwise would have expected.”
The Prevea Health Marinette County clinic comes five weeks after the U-W Green Bay main campus clinic opened.
“Is this area behind on vaccines?” asked Fox 11.
“So I would say the slight differences that we have from community to community are things that we want to continue to look at and make sure we can provide the support,” replied Timberlake.
According to the DHS website, 4.0% (1,604) of Marinette County residents have completed the two part vaccine series.
In Brown County, 7.6% (20,024) of residents have completed the series.
And in Dane County, 9.2% (50,206).
The site is allocated both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines depending on availability from the state. Marinette County hopes to administer as many as 1,450 shots per week.
Governor Tony Evers says as distributors learn more and officials learn more about the vaccine, there will be more shots.
“So the capacity is inching up and up and up, it’s not full scale or doubling and tripling but small amounts every day.”
The clinic is open to the public and being a Prevea patient is not necessary.
Appointments are required and can be made online. Appointment availability will depend on the supply of vaccine doses. Those currently eligible are front-line health care workers, residents in skilled nursing and long-term care facilities, law enforcement and fire personnel, and adults 65 and older.
