White House helping Oak Creek mom who asked Biden for help vaccinating son

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OAK CREEK, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Getting COVID vaccines to more people with underlying health conditions, including her son, has been one mom's mission for months.

Kerri Engebrecht from Oak Creek asked President Joe Biden what he could do about it at his Milwaukee town hall on Tuesday.

The White House has arranged a call between Engebrecht and the head of Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

"We've tried all we can to get him a vaccine, I hear of others who are less vulnerable getting it based on far less, do you have a plan to vaccinate those who are most vulnerable sooner?" asked Engebrecht Tuesday.

She had no idea what that question to the president would unleash this week. Media interviews of all types, to start.

"Its been crazy," said Engebrecht.

The president didn't have a direct answer for her Tuesday, but said he'd try to help.

"Maybe we can talk a few minutes and see if I can get you some help," said President Joe Biden.

Since then, she's had several calls from the White House and is going to be connected to Wisconsin's top health official. Engebrecht said that's progress after getting nowhere with local lawmakers.

"Now I've had probably hundreds of people reach out to me and say they're in the same situation," said Engebrecht.

She said waiting for her son's group to be called up for vaccines is too long, especially as stories of healthier people getting vaccinated ahead of the line keep cropping up.

"All we're trying to do is find a reasonable, legitimate way for that process to move forward in a way that makes sense," said Engebrecht.

It's a process that's been frustrating with so much on the line.

"We've been isolating, completely in quarantine for a good 11 months now," said Engebrecht.

The state said over 40-percent of people over 65 have gotten their first COVID shot.

Engebrecht said she's now waiting to hear from the DHS interim secretary soon.

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