Hogan: Maryland Will Enter Vaccination Phase 1B Next Week 

Gov. Larry Hogan, 1/11/2021. Via Office of the Governor’s Flickr.

Maryland will begin Phase 1B of its COVID-19 vaccination plan on Monday, Gov. Larry Hogan announced at a press conference Thursday.

Phase 1B includes:
– Residents ages 75+
– Residents in assisted/independent living, including behavioral health group homes/group homes for those with developmental disabilities
– K-12 teachers and support staff, childcare providers

Hogan also announced that Phase 1C will begin the following Monday on Jan. 25. It will include  all residents ages 65-74.

NEW: Gov. Hogan says Maryland will activate vaccination Phase 1B beginning Monday. Includes:

-residents ages 75+
-residents in assisted living, including group homes for those with developmental disabilities
-K-12 teachers and support staff, childcare providers@mymcmedia

— Maryam Shahzad (@maryam_mcm) January 14, 2021

The governor cautioned that the COVID-19 vaccination process will take time.

“Going forward, our greatest limiting factor, by far, will be supply,” Hogan said. He said as of Thursday, 547,300 doses have been distributed across the state, which is 99.6% of all doses allocated to the state by the federal government. Under the vaccine plan, Phase 1 alone includes 1.5 million people, Hogan said, who require two doses each. So, the state needs 3 million doses just to get through Phase 1, he said.

“This is going to take a long time, a great deal of patience, and a lot more vaccines.”

Gov. Hogan says MD has received 547,300 COVID-19 vaccines. Phase 1 alone includes 1.5 million people who need 2 doses, = 3 million doses needed.

“This is going to take a long time, a great deal of patience, and a lot more vaccines." @mymcmedia

— Maryam Shahzad (@maryam_mcm) January 14, 2021

The current Phase 1A is open to healthcare workers, nursing home residents and staff and first responders like fire/rescue personnel. Hogan said vigilance and vaccines are the solution to the coronavirus crisis.

“We’re all looking forward to the day when we can all take off and throw away the damn masks,” Hogan said, referencing his popular quote. He said that time will come, “but only if we keep doing the things that keep us safe.”

About Maryam Shahzad

Maryam is a reporter with Montgomery Community Media. She graduated from the University of Maryland in 2019 with a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism. Previously, she was an intern with MCM. She can be reached at mshahzad@mymcmedia.org or on Twitter @maryam_mcm.

View all posts by Maryam Shahzad