He’s also part of pilot program to vaccinate the underserved minority populations.
Frederick, Md (KM) He was wrong. That’s how Frederick physician Dr. Julio Menocal describes his comments about the 287g program.
Last week, Dr. Menocal asked that the program be suspended for 12 weeks so he can vaccinate the local Hispanic population against COVID-19. “I was incorrectly assuming that 287g was being enforced on the streets, and apparently, it’s not,” he says. “Sheriff {Chuck} Jenkins, I was wrong, and you were right, sir, and my sincerest apologies for my misery.”
The 287g program enables staff at the Frederick County Detention Center to check on the immigration status of those arrested by deputies. If they are here illegally, they can deported. The Sheriff’s Office is working in partnership with the US Department of Homeland Security in running the 287g program.
Dr. Menocal also says his practice is one of 37 around Maryland which has been chosen to receive vaccine doses so they can be used to inoculate Hispanics and African-Americans against the coronavirus vaccine. He says there are a number of reasons why members of some minority communities can’t get the vaccine. “The first one , as always, is going to be the access to technology. So we are calling people, we are doing it on the phone, and we’re making sure they get registered with the office.”
He says another reason is transportation. “We offer two services. We do have a shuttle that serves the Golden Mile, and we will bring patients in to the office to be be vaccinated, or conversely, go to their homes to vaccinate them,” Dr. Menocal says.
HIs office has received the first 200 doses of the vaccine, and 110 so far have been used. “The Frederick County Health Department through Dr. {Barbara} Brookmyer and Todd Johnson, very graciously gave us a grant of 500 vaccines, and I think we’re down to the last 80 of them,” says Dr. Meonocal.
Under the state’s program, primary care physicians will receive vaccines to administer to the most vulnerable populations. “In the state of Maryland. 13% of the population is Hispanic, and less than 3% of the vaccines have gone to Hispanics. 36% of the population is African-American, and less than 25% of the vaccines have gone to African-Americans,” Dr. Menocal says.
On Thursday, he says the Governor and other state officials will be visiting his practice to observe how this program is working. Dr. Menocal hopes Sheriff Jenkins will also drop by. “Tell Chuck Jenkins I want to see on Thursday. The Governor would love to see him, and wants to see us all working together. I hope this apology is enough because I did screw up,” he says.
By Kevin McManus