Starting on Monday, March 1, up to 700,000 Wisconsinites will become eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine. This next group includes educators and childcare workers as well as people who work in grocery stores and public transit.
"I think it's invaluable," said Angela Harris.
Angela Harris, a first-grade teacher at Milwaukee Public Schools and chair for the Black Educators Caucus, has been waiting for her chance to get a vaccine.
She was able to schedule her first shot for next week after the district released details on vaccination clinics.
"I think it gives us a little bit less anxiety to know that at the very least those of us who are interested and want to receive the vaccine will at least have had an opportunity to hopefully get one dose, and really and truly had both doses before we return to the buildings with students," Harris said as she thought about the district's tentative plans to reopen schools for some in-person learning.
In working with the Milwaukee Health Department, MPS employees will have opportunities to get vaccinated at the Wisconsin Center next week, and eventually at North Division High School and South Division High School.
"From the very beginning of the pandemic, our team members have been out here a lot of times at their own personal risk, dealing with the public, helping make sure our communities get the food they need to survive," said Ted Balistreri, co-owner of Sendik's Food Markets.
People who work in certain parts of the food industry, like grocery stores, will also become eligible for the next group of vaccinations. However, within that group grocery workers are in the middle when it comes to priority.
"There's a shortage of supply with a vaccine right now, so we're looking at or trying to help our associates find, through multiple different outlets, the easiest path for them to get the vaccine, including trying to work to have practitioners come to our facilities," said Balistreri.
Wisconsin Department of Health Services has noted that vaccinators should continue to prioritize people who were part of eligible priority groups before the next round starts on Monday.
While vaccine supply still lags behind demand, there has continued to be a call for patience across the board.