Vaccination rates among children lag in county

While vaccination rates throughout Ozaukee and Washington counties continue to rise, they are still lagging among children aged 12 to 15. 

In Ozaukee County, 69% of adults have received at least one dose of the vaccine, as have 50% of 16 and 17-year-olds, Interim Public Health Officer for the Washington Ozaukee Public Health Department Kim Buechler told the County Health and Human Services Committee June 22. 

The rate among 12 to 17-year-olds in the county is far less though, with only 44% having received one dose. 

Vaccination rates among youths in Washington County are even lower, with only 22.4% of those between the ages of 12 and 17 having received at least one dose. 

Buechler said her department will coordinate with local schools to encourage eligible youths to receive the vaccine. 

“We’re working with schools to see if they can help us get those numbers up,” she said. 

She added that some schools throughout the two counties have also implemented mitigation measures for summer school to keep coronavirus case numbers low.  

Buechler said vaccination rates in both counties have begun to plateau but she hopes they will increase over the summer. 

With more vaccines nearing approval for use in 12 to 15-year-olds, Buechler said, she hopes that having options available for families may increase vaccination rates. 

Despite lagging vaccination rates among youths in the two counties, cases of the virus are largely decreasing. 

Buechler said only one or two new cases across both counties are being confirmed each day. 

“I believe this is following the trend of vaccinations,” Buechler said.      

Buechler said the health department is working with the Aging and Disability Resource Center to vaccinate home-bound individuals who cannot go to clinics. 

“We’ve had a small group of nurses going around to home-bound individuals and we are considering possibly contracting[that work] out to one of our partner agencies to continue that if needed,” she said. 

Buechler said the new Delta variant has not been found in either Ozaukee or Washington county, although it has been found elsewhere in Wisconsin.