DHS to offer new flu vaccine level tracking tool

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - Flu season is right around the corner, and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) launched its new flu vaccine data dashboard Thursday.

The DHS said the data dashboard will give Wisconsinites a look at previous and current flu vaccination rates, while highlighting communities and areas of the state that may be more vulnerable to the flu.

The website will be updated every week throughout flu season, according to the DHS, and will allow viewers to view filtered vaccination rates based on county, age, sex, race and ethnicity. Officials say as of Oct. 18, over 613,000 Wisconsinites have gotten their flu vaccines.

Data show that flu vaccinations dropped in rural parts of Wisconsin during the pandemic and that many minority groups consistently have lower vaccination rates. The DHS said these trends reflect past and current social and economic barriers for these communities.

NBC15 has reached out to DHS to ask what is considered the start of the flu season and what week updates will begin.

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