Maryland Vaccine Equity Task Force Update: May 15, 2021

Maryland Governor's Press Office sent this bulletin at 05/15/2021 12:00 PM EDT

Maryland Vaccine Equity Task Force

HIGHLIGHTS

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CRITICAL ROLE OF FAITH COMMUNITIES IN VACCINE DISTRIBUTION. On Thursday, May 13, Governor Hogan and Lt. Governor Boyd K. Rutherford joined faith leaders at FedExField in Prince George’s County to recognize the critical role that faith-based and community-based institutions play in vaccine distribution across the state.

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According to Bloomberg, Maryland is one of only five states to vaccinate at least a third of the Black and Hispanic populations. Additionally, Maryland has been recognized by the Biden administration and the New England Journal of Medicine as a national leader on vaccine equity. 

MEETING MARYLANDERS WHERE THEY ARE. The VETF has worked to launch mobile vaccination clinics in hard-to-reach areas utilizing mobile units provided by the University of Maryland School of Nursing and staffed by the Maryland National Guard. Each mobile vaccine bus has the versatility to be used as a walk-in clinic or a drive-up site to administer between 60 to 160 vaccines per mission. Learn where they’ve been so far.

PROGRESS IN TARGETED ZIP CODES.  The hard-hit zip codes where the VETF is partnering with community leaders to hold vaccine clinics are showing significant improvement in vaccine uptake.

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380
Missions 

81,960
Doses Administered

(figures are cumulative, as of 5/14/21)

NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY AT ALL MASS VACCINATION SITES. All eligible Marylanders can now get vaccinated without an appointment at any of the state’s 13 mass vaccination sites. Direct scheduling is also available by visiting covidvax.maryland.gov or by calling the state’s COVID-19 Vaccination Support Center at 1-855-MD-GOVAX (1-855-634-6829).

ABOUT 

The Maryland Vaccine Equity Task Force (VETF), led by Maryland National Guard Brigadier General Janeen Birckhead, works in partnership with the state’s 24 local health departments to focus COVID-19 vaccination efforts on underserved, vulnerable, and hard-to-reach populations to ensure the equitable delivery of vaccines.

The task force will leverage resources with close ties to key communities, including the state’s Vaccine Advisory Group, the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives, the state’s network of Medicaid providers, and additional public sector and community partners.

Learn more about the task force here.