The National Guard has been reactivated to assist with state-wide distribution
Annapolis, MD (KB) The distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine is getting underway in Maryland. During his news conference on Tuesday afternoon, Governor Larry Hogan announced that all hospitals in all regions of the state will begin receiving their first coronavirus vaccines over the course of the next week. Maryland is getting 155,000 doses of the vaccine.
“To assist in the efficient distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, today I am reactivating the Maryland National Guard in order to provide necessary logistical support,” Hogan said.
The Governor said that will include special field teams being deployed to assist state health officials with planning and operations, and providing support at distribution points across Maryland.
“As more vaccines become available to us, the Guard will then be ramping up to provide additional coordination and logistical support and help us with the set up of mobile vaccination clinics,” he explained.
Under Maryland’s vaccination plan, those first in line to receive the vaccine are front line health care workers, residents and employees of long term care facilities, and first responders.
Hogan is asking residents for patience as the state works hard to distribute the vaccine.
“As more vaccines begin to arrive from the Federal Government, our distribution plans will continue accelerating as we strive to reach more and more of our citizens,” he said. “I want to ask Marylanders for their patience as we work hard to get the entire state, eventually, vaccinated.”
In addition, the Governor said the State of Maryland has completed its utilization of 500,000 LabGenomics COVID-19 test kits acquired from South Korea last spring. The tests served as the “backbone” of the state’s long-term testing strategy, and were utilized at various nursing homes and community-based testing sites.
The Governor said LabGenomics has entered into a partnership with Frederick-based clinical laboratory, CIAN Diagnostics, and will purchase one million additional COVID-19 tests.
“As a result, these LabGenomics tests and these two great companies, will be continuing to save lives and to make a real difference on the front lines here in our state.”
Hogan also announced that Maryland has recorded 5,000 deaths from the COVID-19 virus.