Maryland officials announced a plan Monday to improve the equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines in Baltimore amid continued criticism about the state’s implementation, particularly in the state’s largest city.
The Baltimore Convention Center Field Hospital, a public-private partnership of the state health department, the University of Maryland Medical System and Johns Hopkins Medicine, will emphasize vaccinating Baltimore’s most vulnerable communities, the office announced. of Governor Larry Hogan.
“This pilot is a demonstration of commitment to getting the equity equation right – the state, our local partners, and the community find the answer together,” said Brigadier General Janeen Birckhead of the Maryland National Guard, who is leading the effort. state equity. force. “It is another step in the right direction to ensure a fair distribution of the vaccine.”
Leadership at the field hospital has been working closely with community health teams at hospitals to encourage eligible individuals living in high-vulnerability zip codes to register for vaccination, the governor’s office said. When the M&T Bank Stadium mass vaccination site opened last week, the program will focus on vaccinating people living in those zip codes in Baltimore.
Meanwhile, state lawmakers on a panel that holds weekly hearings on the Maryland vaccine launch continued to ask questions about the launch and criticize aspects of it.
Sen. Mary Washington, a Baltimore Democrat, asked Maryland Acting Health Secretary Dennis Schrader about a comment the governor made last week that Baltimore had received more vaccinations than the city was “entitled.” Hogan made the comment while visiting a new mass vaccination site at M&T Bank Stadium on Thursday, after a reporter asked him about Mayor Brandon Scott’s request that a certain percentage of vaccinations on the site be reserved for residents of the city. city.
Washington asked Schrader on Monday how he planned to address “the negative damage” caused by the comment that outraged city officials.
Schrader said he was focused on the new approach announced Monday to get into the “worst-hit ZIP codes in Baltimore.” He said she was asking him a political question and that he was staying focused “on the process and the facts.”
“I don’t think I can answer your question,” said Schrader.
Washington said his question was not political.
“I would suggest that if language and discourse like this continue from above, it is actually undermining their activities, their efforts to build trust in the community,” Washington said.
The state also announced Monday that it has been assigned nearly 50,000 doses of the J&J COVID-19 vaccine. Approximately 49,600 doses of the newly approved single-shot vaccine will be distributed to providers this week.
This is the third vaccine that the US Food and Drug Administration has released.
Maryland health officials will direct Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine allocation to mass vaccination sites, hospitals, local health departments and community health centers. Additionally, the J&J vaccine will be deployed at pharmacies that the federal government has selected to participate in its retail pharmacy association.
The Hogan administration said the federal government has stated that future Johnson & Johnson vaccine allocations could be uneven and could be less than this week’s allocation.
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