By Jordan Schwartzberg
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
Eligible Marylanders can now schedule COVID-19 vaccination appointments at the state’s newest mass vaccination site, M&T Bank Stadium, the governor’s office announced yesterday. The site will open Thursday.
“The opening of our next state-run mass vaccination site is another milestone toward ending this pandemic,” Gov. Larry Hogan said in a statement. “I want to thank all of our partners who have worked to convert M&T Bank Stadium into a mass vaccination site. As supply increases, this site will serve thousands of Marylanders each day.”
By adding the mass vaccination site at M&T Bank Stadium, the state is providing a vaccination site that will allow for people to get their shots in an effective manner, the governor said.
“This level of mass vaccination has never been done before in American history,” said Dr. Chuck Callahan, the vice president of population health at the University of Maryland Medical System. “We need to approach the situation with three strategies. The first will be mobile vaccination teams that can take the vaccine to the elderly, those that don’t have the internet, and those with a justifiable distrust in the medical system. The next strategy is instituting smaller community vaccination sites like community engagement centers and senior community support centers. The third strategy has to be larger-scale places where people can walk in and walk out.”
The site is slated to offer between 250 and 500 vaccination appointments within the first several days after it is launched. By early March, Hogan said, the plan is for the site to offer 2,000 vaccinations a day. Appointments will be able to be made on a rolling basis, and there will be no walk-ups allowed, the governor’s office said.
M&T Bank Stadium is one of three mass vaccination sites in Maryland. The other two include the Six Flags America Theme Park located in Upper Marlboro and The Baltimore Convention Center.
The Baltimore Ravens and the Maryland Stadium Authority are willing partners for M&T Bank Stadium for use as one of the state’s mass vaccination sites, said Charles Gischlar, deputy director of the Office of Communications for the Maryland Department of Health.
Gischlar said that the Biden administration activated the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program and provided doses directly to several CVS and Walgreens pharmacies.
Additionally, Giant/Martin’s, Rite-Aid, Safeway, and Walmart retail pharmacy locations are all allocated doses through a separate program called the Pharmacy Transfer Program.
“These neighborhood pharmacies that people know and trust are an important component of both the federal and state distribution plan to expand access, equity and consumer choice,” Gischlar said.
Coronavirus cases have been coming down over the past few weeks. According to the state’s coronavirus dashboard, the state’s positivity rate is currently at 3.91%.
The vaccination site will offer vaccinations to those who are eligible in Phases 1A, 1B, and 1C.
The University of Maryland Medical System classifies Phase 1A as all licensed, registered, and certified healthcare providers; nursing home residents and staff; law enforcement, and firefighters, EMS, and other first responders; correctional healthcare staff and officers; and frontline judiciary staff.
Phase 1B consist of Maryland residents who are 75 years and older; Marylanders in assisted living, independent living, developmental disabilities/behavioral health group homes, and other congregate facilities; high-risk incarcerated individuals; continuity of government vaccinations; and education, including K-12 teachers, support staff, and child care providers.
Phase 1C includes adults age 65-74; public health and safety workers not covered in Phase 1A; and essential workers in lab services, food/agriculture production, manufacturing, the U.S. Postal Service, public transit, and grocery stores.
If you are planning on attending the M&T Bank Stadium Mass Vaccination site, you must complete a new registration. To make an appointment either complete the online form available at covidvax.maryland.gov or call 855-MD-GOVAX (1-855-634-6829) to request an appointment. Representatives are available seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., the governor’s statement said.