By Lauren Proudfoot
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
Maryland has administered over 8 million COVID-19 vaccines since the first shots were given in December, making the state one of the most vaccinated states in the country, Gov. Larry Hogan announced Tuesday.
To date, Maryland has reported 8,007,738 vaccinations, according to the state’s coronavirus dashboard. This includes 119,899 booster doses as well.
According to the dashboard, 96.5% of Marylanders who are 65 years old and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine, 84.1% of Marylanders 18 and older have received at least one dose, and 83.1% of Maryland residents 12 and older have received at least one dose.
“We have achieved these numbers with strong public health outreach, innovative lottery and scholarship promotions, and a relentless focus on equity,” Hogan said on Tuesday.
Luke Walker, 25, a Baltimore City resident and ICU nurse at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital, said he received his Pfizer COVID-19 shot last February and is happy others have too.
“I think it’s great that Marylanders are taking this virus seriously,” Walker said in an interview. “The percentages really show how we come together in this time of need. We are one step closer to putting this pandemic behind us.”
Maryland ranked 13th among all states in its vaccination rate, according to the New York Times dashboard.
Maryland became one of the first states in the nation to authorize boosters for seniors and high-risk individuals, according to the press release shared on Tuesday. State officials have begun to build the infrastructure for a statewide operation to administer booster shots.
Facebook user and Harford County resident Shawn Drinan shared a picture of his COVID-19 vaccination card with a third box filled out on Sept. 9 and wrote: “Just got my booster shot. It’s here, it’s real, and you can make a difference.”
The statewide call center began directly contacting all Marylanders who were eligible for a booster shot last week, according to the press release. There are more than 58,000 appointments for booster shots now, according to governor.maryland.gov.
“Our vaccine eligibility accelerations efforts, mass vaccination sites, No Arm Left Behind initiatives … the Maryland National Guard, and GoVax outreach campaign are just a few examples of the massive investment that Maryland made in accomplishing this goal,” Andy Owen, deputy director for media relations for the Maryland Department of Health, said in an interview. “Our work continues with ongoing emphasis on getting remaining Marylanders vaccinated and delivering booster shots to those who are ready.”
Booster shot providers can be found at covidvax.maryland.gov or by calling 1-855-MD-GOVAX.