First MD Coronavirus Vaccines Could Arrive Next Week: Officials

ANNAPOLIS, MD — The first coronavirus vaccines could reach Maryland as early as next week, health officials said at a Tuesday afternoon press conference. Gov. Larry Hogan urged Marylanders to stay patient, however.

First Wave Of Vaccines

The state will get 155,000 doses in the first batch of immunizations. This initial order will not cover Maryland's 300,000 health care workers, however, so most residents will have to wait a bit longer.

Hogan hopes hopes to secure 300,000 doses by the end of the year. Production should ramp up in early 2021.

Two companies, Pfizer and Moderna, already submitted requests for review of their vaccines. Both brands require two doses.

The Pfizer shots must be separated by three weeks. Moderna's injections have to be four weeks apart.

The Food and Drug Administration will look at Pfizer's immunization on Thursday and Moderna's on Dec. 17. The FDA could clear each company's inoculation within days of their briefing.

The governor hopes more companies find vaccine success in the New Year. With more manufacturers, the distribution process may see less bottlenecks.

Maryland has about 40 companies working on coronavirus shots, diagnostics and treatments. One such business, Montgomery County's Novavax, recently entered the third and final phase of its inoculation trials.

"The cavalry is coming," Hogan said. "A vaccine is on the way, but it is absolutely critical that we continue to fight this virus with everything we’ve got."

Plan For Distribution

It's going to be a while before the vaccine has widespread circulation. The rollout will happen in four phases: 1A, 1B, 2 and 3.

Medical frontliners will be the first to get the inoculation in stage 1A. First responders and folks in long-term care facilities are also at the top of the list.

This means residents and staff of nursing homes and assisted living centers will be included in the initial wave. Infections tend to spread rapidly in these congregate living spaces. Maryland currently has coronavirus cases at 190 nursing homes and 132 assisted living facilities.

After the 800,000 people in group 1A are serviced, the state will enter phase 1B. This allows other high-risk residents to get their shots.

Marylanders with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease or heart conditions can get vaccinated during this period. Adults living in other shared homes are the last residents eligible in this round.

Stage 2 opens the door to employees in critical fields. Marylanders working in education, transit and utilities are among those eligible in the second portion of immunization.

The remaining residents can get the coronavirus inoculation in the third and final phase.

"Our vaccine efforts will continue until all Marylanders are able to access vaccines," said Dr. Jinlene Chan, Deputy Secretary for Public Health Services.

Public Confidence In The Vaccine

About 65 percent of Marylanders are very likely or somewhat likely to get the shot when it's available, pollsters estimated. The University of Maryland Medical System calculated that number after it surveyed 525 residents between Nov. 16 and Nov. 23.

That support is up from the month before. Goucher College released a survey in October, suggesting that half the state would refuse the immunization if it were approved that day.

At least 70 percent of the population needs to get vaccinated to sufficiently fight the virus, officials added.

The state will run outreach campaigns with community voices to boost confidence in the inoculation. Hogan said he and Lieutenant Gov. Boyd Rutherford will get the shot in public to show their support for the medicine.

"Everybody involved believes that it’s safe and very effective," Hogan said. "This is going to help us save a lot of lives, so I don’t have any hesitation at all."

Patch wants to know, will you get the coronavirus shot when it's ready? Take our survey at this link to help our future coverage.

Patch staffer Elizabeth Janney contributed reporting to this story.

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