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August 15, 2022 

DHS encouraging COVID-19 Vaccination and Prevention Planning for the School Year

As the 2022-2023 school year gets underway, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) urges students statewide to get their COVID-19 vaccinations or boosters before the start of the school year. This includes children as well as anyone planning to attend in-person classes at a college or university. All students benefit from in-person learning, and safely returning to the classroom this fall is a priority all across Wisconsin.

Everyone 6 months and older is eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Nearly 389,000 Wisconsin school-age youth ages 5 to 17 have already received their primary series of a COVID-19 vaccine. COVID-19 vaccines remain available to all Wisconsinites at no cost. Find information about COVID-19 vaccine providers near you at vaccines.gov. In addition to vaccination, DHS and schools statewide are preparing to keep kids safe and healthy during the upcoming school year.
On August 11, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced updated COVID-19 Guidance for Community, School, and Early Childhood Education Settings. The CDC guidance is intended to help people better understand their risk; how to protect themselves and others; what actions to take if exposed to COVID-19; and what actions to take if they are sick or test positive for the virus. 

DHS supports the updated CDC guidance and encourages each school or school district to closely monitor the COVID-19 Community Levels in their county, along with vaccination rates, testing for students, teachers, and staff, outbreaks, and the age of students served by the school, and adjust their policies as necessary.