'Wild West:' Seniors struggle to find vaccine as teachers become eligible

Seniors struggle to find vaccine as teachers become eligible

On March 1, Wisconsin teachers will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, but what does that mean for the thousands of seniors still waiting for their shot? 

RACINE, Wis. - On March 1, Wisconsin teachers will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, but what does that mean for the thousands of seniors still waiting for their shot?

People ages 65 and older have been eligible to receive a vaccine for more than a month. The Wisconsin Center is one of the places where you can make an appointment, but FOX6 News continues to gets calls and emails from people struggling to get vaccinated.

For weeks, searching and refreshing has been the routine of Jodie Nelson as she tries to get her 85-year-old mom, Connie, the COVID-19 vaccine.

"I signed her up right away," said Nelson. "I did the Walgreens. I did the CVS. I did the HealthyMKE."

Connie is on several lists and still waiting, and starting Monday, thousands more will be logging on. Wisconsin teachers become eligible March 1.

Angelina Cruz

"I would equate it to the Wild Wild West of Wisconsin," said Angelina Cruz, Racine Educators United president. "There's no clear rollout plan anywhere that I know of."

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Cruz said the Racine Unified School District has not shared a formal plan to get teachers vaccinated, so she's advising teachers to call their doctors.

"It just seems to be so many layers of confusion, so it’s like, a light at the end of the tunnel and I don’t know how quickly we’re going to get to that light," said Cruz.

During Tuesday's briefing, state health officials said there will be vaccine to go around.

"I understand if you’re in the half of folks 65 and older who have not yet received your vaccine, that you may be anxious about whether you’re ever going to get one. What I can assure you is you will," said DHS Deputy Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk.

After weeks of refreshing with no luck, Nelson is becoming skeptical.

"What they’re saying and what’s actually happening are not jiving together," said Nelson. "It doesn’t make sense."

State health officials say they expect the number of vaccine doses delivered to increase each and every week, making it possible to reach both groups.