MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA) on Monday, Sept. 13, announced that 87 percent of executive branch employees have shared their vaccination status, as required by guidance issued on August 23, 2021.

According to a news release from the DOA, close to 70 percent of all state employees have reported receiving at least one vaccine dose. This is above the 55.5 percent of Wisconsinites who have received at least partial protection from a COVID-19 vaccine.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), the state’s 7-day average of new cases has topped 1,500 since August 26, 2021, with hospitalizations and deaths continuing to rise. The Department of Administration continues to examine current public health risks and next steps in maintaining a safe and healthy workplace for more than 30,000 executive branch employees statewide, including evaluating testing, masking, and vaccinations.

“It’s clear that while we still have room for improvement, the majority of executive branch employees are doing the right thing when it comes to COVID,” said DOA Secretary Joel Brennan, “Given the ongoing public health threat posed by the Delta variant, we know that vaccination remains our best tool for beating back the latest surge, and I’m grateful for the steps state employees are taking to protect our workforce and the Wisconsinites we serve.”