MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), announced Dec. 21 that Wisconsin is expecting shipments of the Moderna vaccine to begin arriving at hospitals and clinics across the state within the week. The initial shipment is expected to be 16,000 doses, with state health officials planning to receive a total of 100,000 doses in the upcoming weeks. Unlike the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, the Moderna vaccine can be stored in normal freezers, which allows the vaccine to be shipped directly to vaccinating entities across Wisconsin.

“Folks, this is exciting news. The COVID-19 vaccine is an important tool we need to battle this pandemic,” said Gov. Evers. “While we do not have control over how much vaccine the federal government allocates to our state, I can promise that we are doing everything we can to ensure that our distribution is fair and equitable.”

In anticipation of the Moderna allocation, Gov. Evers and DHS activated the federal government’s long-term care pharmacy distribution program to provide on-site vaccination for Wisconsin’s long-term care residents and staff. A portion, 29,000 doses, of the Moderna allocation will be reserved in order to begin vaccinating Wisconsinites in this program. The program is set to begin on Dec. 28.

“I know that many people are wanting to get vaccinated and we are asking everyone to be patient,” said DHS Secretary-designee Andrea Palm. “As we continue to make progress vaccinating our health care workers and long-term care residents, we will need the federal government to increase our supply so we can efficiently expand our efforts to include additional populations. As we vaccinate more Wisconsinites, we must all continue practicing the preventive measures we know work. Please stay home, wear a mask, and keep physical distance from others.”

The U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) issued the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on Dec. 18. Moderna, alongside Pfizer, are the first two COVID-19 vaccines to be authorized by the FDA.

The COVID-19 vaccination process continues to change rapidly. DHS will continue to provide updates on vaccine information as they become available. For up-to-date information, please visit the DHS COVID-19 Vaccine webpage.