BEAVER DAM, Wis. — According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 61 percent of our state is fully vaccinated. Yet Dodge County keeps lagging behind. In fact it’s the lowest in Southeast Wisconsin - 46 percent of people there are fully vaccinated.
Dr. Jamie Deering with the Marshfield Medical Center’s Beaver Dam Hospital says their patients have been lagging behind this entire pandemic. They are also in the midst of another surge. ICU beds for COVID-19 patients spilled into the ER.
“It's been a very difficult week,” said Dr. Deering. “We’ve had to put six people in boarding emergency rooms at times, just waiting for a bed to be available.”
Convincing people in Dodge County that the vaccine is safe and effective has been a challenge.
"People seem to come in with pre-determined knowledge," said Dr. Deering.
She says it can take a significant time to recover. Which is why Dr. Deering’s staff are frustrated over this surge.
“I think our staff is feeling a bit of post-traumatic stress disorder. The fact that we do have a vaccine available and yet there's a number of people choosing not to take it," said Deering.
Dr. Deering says she will continue to guide her patients to the science, “and how it literally saves lives!”
Click here to find the nearest COVID-19 vaccination site near you.
If you were wondering which county has the highest rate of people getting the shot in Wisconsin, it would be Dane County at more than 75 percent. In our viewing area, the highest percentage of people getting the vaccine is in Ozaukee County, followed by Milwaukee County.