He says all Marylanders 16 and older will be eligible by April 27th
Annapolis, MD (KM) More people in Maryland will soon be able to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
During a news conference on Thursday, Governor Larry Hogan said the state will be entering Phase 2A of its vaccine plan on Tuesday, March 23rd.
That means Marylanders 60 and older can begin getting shots against the coronavirus.
“Nearly 90% of the state’s 7,929 COVID deaths have been Marylanders over the age of 60,” explained the Governor. “By prioritizing this age group, we will take a huge leap forward in the effort to protect our most vulnerable citizens from this virus.”
He also said th state will enter Phase 2B on Tuesday, March 30th which makes the vaccine available to those 16 and older with underlying medical conditions.
On April 27th, all Marylanders 16 and older will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Governor said these steps are being taken due to an anticipated increase in vaccine supplies from the federal government.
“Earlier this week, we had a meeting with the White House Coronavirus Task Force, where America’s governors were informed that not this week or next week, but beginning the week of March 29, all states would begin to see a significant increase in vaccine supply,” stated Hogan.
Governor Hogan also announced that more than 2 million doses of the vaccine have been administered in Maryland. That’s over 43 thousand shots given each day.
At the news conference, he said primary care practices throughout Maryland will be joining the vaccination effort this week. He said the practices will begin administering vaccines directly to the vulnerable populations they serve.
He also said the Maryland Vaccine Equity Task Force will launch mobile clinics in hard-to-reach areas. These units will be staffed by the Maryland National Guard.