The number of sites ready to distribute COVID-19 vaccines in Montgomery County, Maryland, is growing, and while some sites may have different rules for who can get an injection, they all share the common challenge of limited and uncertain dose supplies .
The number of sites ready to distribute COVID-19 vaccines in Montgomery County, Maryland, is growing, and while some sites may have different rules for who can get an injection, they all share the common challenge of limited and uncertain dose supplies .
Whether someone can get the vaccine from age 65 or 75 depends on who is applying the vaccines.
People aged 75 and over can now start registering for vaccine appointments at Montgomery County Health Department clinics, and the county is starting to send links to book appointments for seniors who have already registered.
But people 65 and older can apply for appointments at other county clinics, which are made possible through partnerships with the state health department.
In Montgomery County, four giant pharmacies now allow people to apply for COVID-19 vaccines. There are other Giant locations across the state that offer vaccine consultations. In addition, locations may soon open on Safeway, Rite Aid and CVS.
However, these arrangements made through the Maryland Department of Health use different criteria and a different registration system, according to a Monday briefing that included county health officer Dr. Travis Gayles and the council chairman. Tom Hucker county.
For example, although the Montgomery County Health Department has not yet started providing records for residents aged 65 to 74, Giant said its vaccination appointments are open to anyone eligible for vaccines aged 65 and over. .
However, as with county clinics, there appears to be a high demand for vaccines at giant pharmacies.
On the Giant Pharmacy COVID-19 vaccine page, the link to the scheduling portal takes visitors to a landing page. Shortly after 2pm on Monday, there were more than 13,000 people waiting on the digital line, and the time to reach the actual booking page was several hours. Then, from 7:20 pm, a message on the website said it was undergoing maintenance.
You can see the full list of Giant sites that offer vaccine appointments on the Maryland coronavirus website. Some Walmart stores in Maryland are also offering vaccine schedules, though none in Montgomery County yet, according to the state’s list.
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Among the county hospitals currently offering vaccine appointments, Holy Cross Hospital’s COVID-19 vaccination page indicates that clinics include a limited number of hours for community members in Groups 1a and 1b, which include health professionals and people 75 years or older. Phase 1c vaccine appointments – those aged 65 and over – will come in the future “depending on the availability of vaccines and the progress of vaccination for higher priority groups”.
The Adventist Healthcare website says the hospital is also limiting appointments to healthcare professionals and those 75 and older, and even those appointments will be full on Monday night. People can sign up to be notified when appointments are available.
Gayles said the county is exploring ongoing partnerships for vaccine distribution, in addition to those already underway.
But he described the amount of COVID-19 vaccines available as terribly inadequate and unpredictable. For example, Gayles said he only learned at 7:30 pm on Saturday the number of doses the county should receive on Tuesday.
Both Gayles and Hucker expressed frustration at the Maryland Department of Health’s poor communication and lack of information and disproportionate allocations of state vaccine to smaller counties versus larger counties.
“Baltimore County, Baltimore City, Montgomery County and Prince George’s have between 1.7 and 2.6 doses per 100 inhabitants,” said Hucker. Kent County is receiving 8.2 doses per 100 and Somerset County 7.4, according to Hucker.
“This makes no sense. It is obviously unfair, ”he said.
Shortly after the briefing, an exchange of tweets between Montgomery County executive Marc Elrich and a spokesman for Maryland Governor Larry Hogan reflected efforts to improve communication and cooperation between the county and the state.
“The governor had a positive and productive discussion this afternoon with Montgomery County executive Marc Elrich. They agreed on ways to more closely coordinate vaccine delivery, ”Mike Ricci, spokesman for Hogan, said in a tweet.
Elrich answered: “Thanks, Mike. I had a very positive conversation about how to coordinate more effectively … We both want vaccinated people and we are in sync on how to get there. We just need an increase in supply that none of us can control – but we are ready to do more when it arrives. “
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