Providing Information for Community Members
NEENAH, Wis. – ThedaCare is committed to providing the most current and accurate COVID-19 vaccine information regarding eligibility, available doses, scheduling access and answers to frequently asked questions.
Vaccine Availability at ThedaCare – March 17-30
From March 17 to March 30, 2021, ThedaCare is expecting to receive 1,932 doses of COVID-19 vaccine. A majority of vaccine appointments are scheduled 7-10 days in advance. More eligible patients will be contacted through MyThedaCare if additional doses become available. Walk-in vaccinations are not available at this time.
“ThedaCare is committed to the safe, reliable and effective distribution of vaccines,” said Dr. Mark Cockley, ThedaCare Chief Clinical Officer. “We continue to build a process that aligns with the doses received from the state.”
ThedaCare has administered 35,984 vaccines from December 24, 2020 through March 14, 2021.
Eligible Groups Expand on March 22
At this time, the following groups are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, in priority order, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS):
- Frontline health care personnel
- Residents of long-term care
- Police and fire personnel, correctional staff
- Adults age 65 and older
- Education and child care staff
- Individuals enrolled in Medicaid long-term care programs
- Some public-facing essential workers such as 911 operators, public transit, and grocery store employees
- Non-frontline essential health care personnel
- Facility staff and residents of congregate living settings
According to WI DHS, beginning March 22, individuals age 16 and older with certain medical conditions that have a greater risk of severe infection from COVID-19 will be eligible.
Eligibility includes individuals with the following conditions:
- Asthma (moderate-to-severe)
- Cancer
- Cerebrovascular disease (affects blood vessels and blood supply to the brain)
- Chronic kidney disease
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
- Cystic fibrosis
- Down syndrome
- Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies
- Hypertension or high blood pressure
- Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant, blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids, or use of other immune weakening medicines
- Liver disease
- Neurologic conditions, such as dementia
- Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30-39 kg/m2)
- Overweight (BMI of 25-29 kg/m2)
- Pregnancy
- Pulmonary fibrosis (having damaged or scarred lung tissues)
- Severe Obesity (BMI 40 kg/m2 or more)
- Sickle cell disease
- Type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus
- Thalassemia (a type of blood disorder)
ThedaCare will continue vaccinating eligible populations, with a focus on Wisconsinites age 65 and older, and essential workers, following WI DHS eligibility guidelines. For more information about currently eligible and next eligible groups, visit the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website.
“With an estimated additional 250,000 people becoming eligible in our service area next week, it is important to remember that this is going to take time,” said Dr. Cockley. “We appreciate the community’s patience as we work through coordinating vaccines. Our goal is to ensure a smooth, easy process for all who choose to receive their vaccine.”
To ensure coordination and continue our long history of delivering vaccines safely and effectively, ThedaCare will have four vaccine clinics open across our service area for the next several weeks. As vaccine availability across the country and state increases in the coming weeks, ThedaCare will open additional clinics. Patients are able to select the available time and location that best suits them.
What Can I Do Now to Prepare for the Vaccine?
If you have not created a free MyThedaCare account, please click here. If you already have an account, please log in to ensure your contact information, including email, phone number and address, is up to date. If you can’t find the information you need or are having trouble accessing your MyThedaCare account, please call the MyThedaCare technical help desk at 877.259.6180.
Community members who feel they are currently eligible to receive the vaccine will have the opportunity to attest to that eligibility in their MyThedaCare account. Interested people will be notified via MyThedaCare when vaccine is available and they are able to schedule an appointment.
Vaccine updates will also be available on the ThedaCare Facebook page and COVID-19 webpage. We encourage you to check those resources regularly and share them with friends and family.
ThedaCare will continue sharing regular vaccine updates, including when more individuals become eligible to receive the vaccine and any changes to our appointment scheduling process.
At this time, it is important to follow public health recommendations including wearing a mask, staying home when ill, maintaining physical distance, washing hands frequently and getting vaccinated when you are eligible.
For more information about COVID-19, vaccines, testing, online care options, an online symptom checker, community resources, prevention guidelines and other important news and updates, please visit thedacare.org/covid19.
Learn More About COVID-19 – Frequently Asked Questions
When can I get my vaccine?
In keeping with state and national guidelines, ThedaCare began vaccinating health care workers in December. As the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) determines who is eligible to receive the vaccine. The Wisconsin DHS website provides full details on who is currently eligible and next eligible groups. For more information on currently eligible and next eligible groups, visit the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website.
How will I be notified when I am eligible?
ThedaCare will manage COVID-19 vaccine scheduling for people primarily through MyThedaCare/My Chart. This process ensures a single channel of coordination of the vaccine and that the vaccine becomes part of patients’ electronic medical records.
Once individuals have created a MyThedaCare account, those who meet criteria will receive specific details on how and when to schedule vaccine appointments. You must make an appointment to be vaccinated.
If you’re not a current ThedaCare patient or do not have MyThedaCare, you can set up a free account at MyThedaCare.org. MyThedaCare is also accessible on mobile devices through the MyChart app (available on both iOS and Android).
Create a MyThedaCare Account:
- Visit MyThedaCare.org
- Click “Sign Up Now”
- Follow the prompts
- Visit MyThedaCare today to ensure your account information is up to date*. Then monitor your email and app alerts in the coming weeks for your notification.
How long will it take for me to get an appointment once I’m eligible?
Health systems across Wisconsin are working through the logistics to provide vaccines. The amount of vaccine health systems receive from the federal and state government will determine how quickly we can vaccinate eligible groups.
A majority of vaccine appointments are scheduled 7-10 days in advance.
For example, an estimated additional 250,000 people with medical conditions will become eligible in our region on Monday, March 22, while ThedaCare is expecting 1,932 doses to administer during the next two weeks. It’s important to remember that this is going to take time. We are awaiting our supply from the state and appreciate the community’s patience as we work through coordinating vaccines for those eligible. Our goal is to ensure a smooth, easy process for all who choose to receive their vaccine.
Do I need to have MyThedaCare to receive my vaccine?
To schedule your appointment, you must be eligible. ThedaCare will manage COVID-19 vaccine scheduling for people primarily through MyThedaCare/My Chart. This process ensures a single channel of coordination of the vaccine and that the vaccine becomes part of patients’ electronic medical records.
MyThedaCare account users will receive a notification based on their account preferences, as an email and/or an alert from the MyChart app (on mobile devices).
After receiving this notification, you will be able to sign into your MyThedaCare account and select a time and location to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe?
ThedaCare only recommends vaccines that are deemed to be safe. We have closely examined the FDA process for overseeing the many different vaccine trials, including clinical trials, as well as the work of the CDC’s ACIP group. It is required that the FDA makes decisions that are guided by science and data regarding authorization or approval of COVID-19 vaccines. We are confident in the FDA’s authorization process and the CDC’s ACIP group review.
What are the common side effects of the vaccine?
Symptoms of the COVID-19 vaccine are mild and considered to be a normal reaction to vaccination. The following common side effects typically occur within the first 3 days and subside in a 1-2 day time frame:
- Fatigue
- Fever or chills
- Body aches
- Headaches
- Soreness and redness at the site of injection
- Learn what to expect after getting a COVID-19 vaccine
If I have already had COVID-19 and recovered, do I still need to get the COVID-19 vaccine?
ThedaCare is following the Centers for Disease and Control (CDC) recommendation that even those individuals who have had COVID-19 should receive the vaccination. People should wait until they are no longer infectious to get vaccinated.
What are the guidelines for fully vaccinated individuals?
The CDC released guidelines for those who have been full vaccinated for COVID-19. The CDC defines people who are fully vaccinated as those who are two weeks past their second dose of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, or two weeks past a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
The new CDC guidance says fully vaccinated people can:
- Visit other vaccinated people indoors without masks or physical distancing.
- Visit indoors with unvaccinated people from a single household without masks or physical distancing, if the unvaccinated people are at low risk for severe disease.
- If you’ve been around someone who has COVID-19, you do not need to quarantine from others or get tested unless you have symptoms.
The guidelines say fully vaccinated people should:
- Wear a mask over your nose and mouth
- Stay at least 6 feet away from others
- Avoid medium or large-sized gatherings
- Avoid poorly ventilated spaces
- Wash your hands often
About ThedaCare
For more than 110 years, ThedaCare® has been committed to improving the health of the communities it serves in northeast and central Wisconsin. The organization delivers care to more than 600,000 residents in 17 counties and employs approximately 7,000 health care professionals. ThedaCare has 180 points of care, including seven hospitals. As an organization committed to being a leader in Population Health, team members are dedicated to empowering people to live their best lives through easy access to individualized care, supporting each person’s own health and wellbeing. ThedaCare also partners with communities to understand unique needs, finding solutions together, and encouraging health awareness and action. ThedaCare is the first in Wisconsin to be a Mayo Clinic Care
Network Member, giving specialists the ability to consult with Mayo Clinic experts on a patient’s care. ThedaCare is a not-for-profit health system with a level II trauma center, comprehensive cancer treatment, stroke and cardiac programs, as well as primary care.
For more information, visit thedacare.org or follow ThedaCare on social media. Members of the media should call Cassandra Wallace, Public and Media Relations Consultant at 920.442.0328 or the ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah switchboard at 920.729.3100 and ask for the marketing person on call.
