MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) on Friday, Dec. 10 reported worsening COVID-19 case trends.
According to MHD, the city saw 331.4 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people. The disease burden is up from the previous week's 215.7 cases per 100,000. The gating criteria remains in the "extreme" transmission designation.
Percent positivity also rose – now 10.5% – and is now considered "high" transmission, according to MHD. The gating criteria was last reported at 9.1%, which was considered "substantial" transmission. It is the second time in as many MHD reports that the gating criteria has been downgraded to a worse designation.
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MHD said 60.2% of eligible city residents are fully vaccinated, and 65.1% of received at least their first dose. Additionally, more than 71,000 booster doses have been administered to eligible residents.
Recent data shows, according to MHD, that compared to fully vaccinated individuals, those who are unvaccinated have 5.8-times the risk of testing positive for COVID-19 and 14-times the risk of dying from COVID-19.
"As we learn more about how the omicron variant spreads and continue to experience the effects of the delta variant within our community, it’s imperative that everyone gets their COVID-19 vaccine and booster when eligible," said Milwaukee Health Commissioner Kirsten Johnson. "The vaccine is free, safe, readily available, and highly effective in protecting you and those around you from COVID-19."
Beginning Friday, the Milwaukee Health Department vaccination sites began administering booster doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to 16- and 17-year-olds at least six months after having received their second dose, in accordance with the CDC’s new recommendation. Booster doses for everyone 16 years of age and older are available without an appointment at the Northwest Health Center, Southside Health Center, and Menomonee Valley Site.
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