COVID-19 vaccination rates in Milwaukee and Milwaukee County continue to trail statewide rates in Wisconsin by a few percentage points. The latest statewide figures show 48% of people have had at least one vaccination shot and 42% have completed the vaccination series.
Health officials say the metro area's lowest rates continue to be in some Black and Latino neighborhoods that score high on a federal Social Vulnerability Index.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said one of those neighborhoods is near Washington Park on the city's north side.
"One of the data points I've seen is the census tract with the lowest penetration of people getting the vaccine is the census tract essentially kitty-corner from the Washington Park Library. It's the census tract just east of Washington Park. We want to make sure that the people in that neighborhood know they can go right over to the Washington Park Library," he said.
So, Barrett is keeping that library open for shots on Wednesday and Friday afternoons. Even as, come Monday, June 7, the city is ending vaccinations at the Mitchell Street and Zablocki libraries on the south side.
The mayor said two city clinics remain open for shots. This weekend, there will be more pop-up vaccination sites in Milwaukee, including ones where people can get a free ticket to Summerfest or Mexican Fiesta, or a free beer.
