County Continues to ‘Put Those Shots In Folks’ Arms’

During their second press conference since the start of 2021, Council President Tom Hucker and Vice President Gabe Albonoz commented on the county’s vaccination program and Gov. Larry Hogan’s just-announced COVID-19 financial relief package.

Jeff Bridgers, county deputy health officer, said that 12,900 doses of the vaccine for COVID-19 have been given to the county, and 8,939 had been used by Jan. 8, which is 69%. He predicted that by the end of Monday, that percentage would increase to 83.6% and to 100% by Tuesday, Jan. 12.

The county remains in Phase 1A for who are eligible to receive the vaccine.

This week, the county also expects to begin issuing the second dose to those who were vaccinated in December.

Here is how Bridgers explained the vaccination program.

In other news, Hucker said that he was glad Hogan proposed the Relief Act of 2021 that would provide more than $1 billion in direct stimulus payments for working families, small businesses and the unemployed. However, Hucker called it “a step in the right direction” but an “insufficient” one.

Rather than immediately releasing the funding, Hogan passed it on to the legislators, “which slows down the process,” Hucker said.

In Maryland, there are 250,000 families facing eviction and long lines for food, yet Hogan only wants to use $100 million of the state’s $1 billion rainy day fund, Hucker noted, calling it “a mere pittance.”

About Suzanne Pollak

Suzanne is a freelance reporter with Montgomery Community Media. She has over 35 years professional experience writing for newspapers, magazines, non-profit newsletters and the web.

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