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DHS official: Herd immunity may come this fall in Wisconsin

COVID-19 vaccine
Posted at 10:47 AM, May 22, 2021
and last updated 2021-05-22 11:57:47-04

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A key state health department leader is hedging on whether Wisconsin can attain COVID-19 herd immunity by mid-2021.

Department of Health Services Deputy Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk has previously said that 70% of Wisconsin's population would need to be vaccinated to attain herd immunity and the state could reach that benchmark by July.

But vaccination rates have slowed dramatically and are now growing at only about 1% a week.

Willems Van Dijk tells The Associated Press that it's still possible Wisconsin reaches the 70% mark by July if vaccination rates increase but right now it appears the state won't get there until September or October.

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