MADISON, Wis. — The state of Wisconsin is about to open COVID-19 vaccine eligibility, allowing most people with pre-existing conditions a chance to get the shot sooner rather than later. 

“My anxiety has just ramped back up,” said Erin Brophy, who works in retail. “I have to work this job. So I have to be customer-facing.” 

They’ve been doing essential work for a year now, with no ability or option to work from home. That means they’ve been in contact with dozens, sometimes hundreds, of people every day. 

“Every time someone's not wearing a mask, or the chin strap, or like, the earring, as we call it at work, was dangling off your ear, I can feel my whole body is kind of like [gasp],” Brophy said. 

That anxiety might be a lot higher for Brophy than your average 30-something. They’re at higher risk. 

“I was born premature. So as a result, my lungs were never fully developed, I have a chronic lung condition. I only get about 75% of lung function on a daily basis,” Brophy said. “But I also have stage four endometriosis. So that's super fun. And because these things usually tie in together, I have Crohn's disease as well.” 

Brophy managed to get their shot on Wednesday. Because they often work in food service at their job, their doctor told them they qualify as 1B. That doctor signed them up so they could find an appointment, and they did. 

“She just booped me in the arm with the needle, and put a Band-Aid on it, and it was like okay you’re done,” Brophy said. 

After a year of anxiety, a simple shot in the arm feels a little anticlimactic. 

So far, there have been thousands of Wisconsinites with health issues who haven’t qualified for the vaccine. That’s now changing. The state is giving the green light to those with pre-existing conditions to get vaccinated starting March 22.

“Expanding eligibility to include Wisconsinites with these medical conditions will mean increasing the eligible population by 2 million people,” Department of Health Services Deputy Secretary Julie Willems Van Djik said.

The Monday date is a week earlier than previously announced; the state had said people in that eligibility group who are at a higher health risk would be able to get vaccinated starting March 29.

Qualifying conditions include moderate to severe asthma; cancer; diabetes; high blood pressure, Down syndrome; and being overweight with a body mass index of 25 or above. Women who are pregnant are also eligible.

Evers’ administration on Tuesday also clarified that all clergy are eligible now, as well as judges, prosecutors, public defenders and other essential criminal court personnel.

The general public will become eligible on May 1.

Getting the first dose was overwhelming for Brophy, although it didn’t start to sink in until later that day. 

“I actually started crying on my couch last night,” Brophy said. “I was in tears … thinking about spending time with my grandma.”

Soon, thousands of Wisconsinites like Brophy will get that same feeling. 

“It finally feels like I can breathe a little bit more,” they said. “And I can see almost, the very hint of the light at the end of the tunnel.”