Dylan Brogan
Medical assistant Bridgette Moore administers the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway March 25 at the Alliant Energy Center.
It was Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway’s turn on March 25 to be immunized against COVID-19. The mayor joins tens of thousands in Dane County who have received at least one dose of the vaccine against the virus that has killed millions and forced shutdowns across the globe.
“The best vaccine is the one that you can get as soon as possible,” Rhodes-Conway told reporters at the Alliant Energy Center, where Public Health Madison and Dane County runs a drive-through vaccine clinic. “Personally, I am delighted to be getting the [one-dose] Johnson & Johnson vaccine today because I will be protected sooner…. The fact that we have three vaccines all created in such a short time period, that are all so effective, is a scientific achievement that cannot be overstated.”
Bridgette Moore, a medical assistant, has given hundreds of vaccines at the Alliant Energy Center — Rhodes-Conway was just her latest patient. Moore brought an air of solemnity and grace to the occasion.
“It’s a blessing,” says Moore, who is 36 credits shy of completing nursing school after working more than a decade in the healthcare field. “You're not just protecting yourself but everyone you come in contact with.”
Moore has seen the devastation of the pandemic firsthand. She lost three loved ones to this disease and her 26-year-old son, who was hospitalized because of COVID-19, was also gravely ill.
“It was a surprise to us. He is doing much better now but he still has some recovering to do. I thank God, he's breathing. He's conscious. And he's able to try to get his life back,” Moore tells Isthmus. “This disease knows no color, no wealth or horridness. It just takes.”
The county-owned Alliant Energy Center has played a central role in providing COVID-19 testing and administering vaccines. During the required 15-minute waiting period after receiving the inoculation, Rhodes-Conway talked up the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 11.
“We’ve had multimillion dollar deficits because of the pandemic because revenue is down dramatically, particularly in the room tax, but also in our parking utility, [Madison] Metro, and really across the board. So [the] American Rescue Plan really is a lifesaver for us as a city,” says Rhodes-Conway. “This is going to make sure that we can not only get out of the pandemic quicker but also recover our economy quicker.”
The city is set to receive $50 million in direct aid over the next two years under the historic legislation. The funding allowed Madison to scrap a mandatory furlough of 1,700 city employees that was included in this year’s budget. State government will receive $360 million in aid.
Nearly a third of Dane county residents — more than 180,000 — have received at least one dose of vaccine, including 88 percent of people over 65. Statewide, 2.5 million people are now, at least partially, vaccinated. However, not everyone is eligible to receive a vaccine yet. Currently, eligible residents include those over the age of 65, healthcare workers, public safety employees, food service and food production workers, those with certain underlying medical conditions, and some other essential public-facing workers.
“The eligibility is pretty broad right now but I really encourage people to go to Public Health Madison Dane County's website to see the eligibility list,” said Rhodes-Conway. “People can sign up through their health care provider, they can go to one of our pharmacies that are vaccinators, they may be eligible to come here to the Alliant Energy Center and get their shot. There's lots and lots of options.”
Judging by social media selfies, you might think that eligibility for the vaccines is almost universal. The state estimates everyone over 16 will be eligible by May 1, maybe sooner. Those who aren’t eligible may also be able to snag an extra dose that would otherwise go to waste. Isthmus has confirmed with a public health official, off-the-record, that employers seem to be setting up appointments for their entire workforce whether or not every individual is technically eligible. The state isn’t strictly enforcing the criteria to prevent people from jumping the line, instead relying on the honor code.
“Have you had your shot, yet?” Moore asked this reporter. “They’d probably give you one because you’re exposed to people.”
I haven’t yet. But I’ve seen other members of the media proudly post photos of their inoculation claiming the Fourth Estate is covered under the “utility and communications infrastructure” category. I was tempted to ask Moore right there and then for a shot. Something didn’t feel right about it though, which was later confirmed after I emailed the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
“At this time, members of the media are not eligible to receive vaccines unless eligible under another criteria,” wrote spokesperson Jennifer Miller in response to my inquiry.
After waiting out the pandemic for more than a year, what’s a few more weeks?
