Marylanders Try To Cut Line For Coronavirus Vaccine: Hogan

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Some Marylanders are trying to cut the line for coronavirus vaccines, Gov. Larry Hogan said Tuesday. This challenges the immunization rollout that Hogan called the "greatest peacetime operation in American history."

Those currently eligible for the shot are limited to the staff and residents of long-term care facilities, health care workers and first responders. When one of these priority Marylanders is next up for the inoculation, the vaccine provider sends them a link to register for an appointment.

The residents hoping to jump the gun are gaining access to these logins. That steals a shot from one of the state's frontliners, who are most at risk for contracting the virus.

"Not only is this reprehensible behavior, but it also slows down the entire process," Hogan said at a press conference. "Please exercise decency and common sense."

Health officials are working with cybersecurity teams to tighten the process. The Maryland Department of Health does not know how many links were compromised.

"These links in question were not authorized to be shared," Charles Gischlar, a MDH spokesperson told Patch in an email. "While there is no specific penalty for cutting in line, people need to be patient until the state moves into other phases of vaccine distribution."

Dr. Jinlene Chan, deputy secretary of the MDH, understands that residents are eager for the immunization. She also knows they are frustrated that it's not spreading quicker.

Chan encouraged Marylanders to remember how much of a logistical undertaking this is. She noted that vaccinators need to train staff, set up large facilities and schedule thousands of appointments.

"They are standing up the monumental vaccination effort across the state," Chan said at the conference. "It is all hands on deck."

Those trying to beat the system and get their inoculations sooner are slowing an already-delayed system.

Maryland has distributed about 99 percent of its allocated doses, but the state's hospitals have used a third of their allotted shots. That leaves many of the state's immunizations waiting in a freezer.

Hogan on Tuesday threatened to reallocate these vaccines from lagging distributors. He instead plans to send the doses to providers that will use them immediately.

The governor also activated the Maryland National Guard and the Maryland Responds Medical Reserve Corps to administer inoculations. About 200 guard members and 700 reserve workers are ready to step in.

Lastly, Hogan required immunization providers to log their shots in the state's database within 24 hours of administration. They previously had 72 hours.

"We are going to leverage every single resource at our disposal to get more shots into more arms as quickly as we possibly can," Hogan said.

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RELATED:

• Hogan Shifts Vaccine Plan, Hopes To Overcome Slow Distribution
• Hogan Activates National Guard To Distribute Coronavirus Vaccines
• First MD Coronavirus Vaccines Could Arrive Next Week: Officials
• Coronavirus Vaccine: How Will MD Distribute It? Hogan Shares Plan

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