Offering Easy Access to Available Vaccine Doses
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. With a focus on easy patient accessibility to the COVID-19 vaccine, ThedaCare is announcing a new process for scheduling an appointment.
Direct Scheduling Begins Today
For the convenience of community members who are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, ThedaCare updated vaccine scheduling to a direct scheduling process.
No vaccine order is required for the direct scheduling process. Patients will have the opportunity to select a vaccine manufacturer, if there is a preference, along with the available appointment time and location that best suits them. ThedaCare only recommends vaccines that are deemed to be safe, and encourages community members to get vaccinated when they are eligible.
“The pandemic is not over,” explained Dr. Mark Cockley, Chief Clinical Officer and President of ThedaCare’s Clinically Integrated Network. “The vaccines are certainly a turning point and we are making great progress in Wisconsin. It is important those who are eligible to receive the vaccine get vaccinated. If someone waits to get vaccinated, they run the risk of contracting the virus, spreading it to others, or contributing to virus variants that we continue to see around the country and in our area. The sooner we can vaccinate individuals with a vaccine that is deemed safe by the FDA, the better.”
To ensure coordination and continue our long history of delivering vaccines safely and effectively, ThedaCare will have five 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 plans to open additional clinics.
How to Schedule a Vaccine Appointment via ThedaCare’s Direct Scheduling Process
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.
To begin the direct scheduling process, community members should log into their MyThedaCare account and click on the Schedule Now icon within the COVID-19 Vaccine message. Available appointments will show, based on which vaccine(s) are selected, and patients can select their preferred appointment time and location. Please check back if available appointments are unavailable or do not work for your schedule. ThedaCare is building vaccine schedules based on doses received each week from the state and federal government. New appointment opportunities are added as additional doses become available.
Vaccine Availability at ThedaCare – March 31 – April 13
From March 31 to April 13, 2021, ThedaCare is expecting to receive 4,412 doses of COVID-19 vaccine. A majority of vaccine appointments are scheduled 7-10 days in advance. At this time, limited appointments are still available. Walk-in vaccinations are not available at this time.
“ThedaCare targets to administer 10,000 vaccines per week, and continues to build a process that aligns with the doses received from the state,” said Dr. Cockley. “We remain committed to the safe, reliable and effective distribution of vaccines.”
ThedaCare has administered 42,828 vaccines from December 24, 2020 through March 28, 2021.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), all individuals ages 16 and older will become eligible for the vaccine on April 5, 2021. The following groups are currently eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, in priority order:
- 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
- Individuals with certain medical conditions
ThedaCare will continue vaccinating eligible populations, following WI DHS eligibility guidelines. For more information about currently eligible and next eligible groups, visit the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website.
How to Stay Up-to-Date on COVID-19
Vaccine updates will be available on the ThedaCare Facebook page and COVID-19 website. We encourage you to check those resources regularly and share them with friends and family.
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 thedacarecovid19.org/.
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 do I schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment at ThedaCare?
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 are eligible, they can 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.
During the scheduling process, community members will see available appointment locations and times based on which vaccine manufacturer(s) selected, if there is a preference.
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.
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.
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. When eligible, 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.
