Your efforts matter: Keep masking indoors and get vaccinated

Thank you to everyone who has received a COVID-19 vaccine and to everyone wearing a mask when indoors in public. These two efforts help take pressure off incredible Gundersen Health System staff caring for hospitalized COVID-19 patients and patients who need non-COVID emergency care and care for a variety of illnesses and conditions.

Last week, Gundersen saw COVID-19 hospitalizations drop for the first time since early July. While one week doesn't make a trend, teaming up with family, friends and neighbors to help limit COVID-related hospitalizations is a great step and can push case counts even lower in the weeks ahead.

Layer protections for the best virus defense. COVID-19 vaccination combined with masking, distancing and hand hygiene at work, school, and any indoor, public spaces significantly lowers your risk of COVID-19 infection.

Free, safe COVID-19 vaccines are available to anyone age 12 and older. A recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study showed those who are unvaccinated have a significantly increased risk of getting infected with COVID-19 and becoming hospitalized compared to those who are fully vaccinated. COVID-19 vaccines are an incredible achievement of modern medicine that work with the body's immune system to provide the best protection against severe illness, including hospitalization and death.

Get the COVID-19 vaccine and seasonal flu shot at the same time. Influenza vaccinations are available now for pediatric patients and young healthy adults (especially pregnant women) at clinic appointments. All patients can get seasonal flu shots starting Oct. 1 at appointments, and Gundersen's flu shot clinics will be from Oct. 11 through Nov. 24. Read more

Third doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine
Gundersen will wait for final approval from the CDC but is ready to offer third doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for more eligible groups at all vaccine locations system wide.

Getting the vaccine is easy

Anyone age 12 and older, patients or non-patients, can get the free, safe COVID-19 vaccine at Gundersen.

All three approved COVID-19 vaccines are available during walk-in appointments at the Gundersen Onalaska Clinic 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.

COVID-19 vaccine is also available during many primary care appointments at Gundersen clinic locations system wide. Please talk to your healthcare provider to get questions answered.

Adult Gundersen patients can walk-in, schedule their appointment through MyChart, or call the scheduling line at (608) 775-6829. Adult non-patients can walk-in or call the scheduling line at (608) 775-6829, option 2, for a vaccine appointment.

Patients under age 18 need parent or guardian consent in person or by calling the Gundersen scheduling line at (608) 775-6829.