Kamala Harris At Baltimore Vaccine Site: 'Things Are Looking Up'

BALTIMORE, MD — Vice President Kamala Harris traveled Thursday to Baltimore, where she paid a visit to the M&T Bank Stadium mass vaccination site, thanked people for their service and issued a call to action for people to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Harris reiterated points President Joseph Biden made during a speech before Congress Wednesday night highlighting his administration's accomplishments in his first 100 days in office, including progress on COVID-19 vaccination efforts and economic recovery.

"American aspiration has defined these first 100 days," Harris said in Baltimore Thursday. "American aspiration is how we got to more than 200 million shots in arms in less than 100 days."

The Biden administration pledged to get 100 million COVID-19 vaccines into the arms of Americans in the first 100 days in office and succeeded in getting over 220 million shots administered, Biden reported Wednesday night to Congress.

The M&T Bank Stadium mass vaccination site, which opened Feb. 25, is approaching a milestone of 250,000 shots administered, according to the University of Maryland Medical System, which partnered with the Maryland Department of Health, Maryland National Guard, and Maryland Stadium Authority to run the operation.

“Marylanders and all Americans have risen to meet this unprecedented crisis with great courage and resolve,” Gov. Larry Hogan said in a statement Thursday. “This site is a testament to that."

The club level at the stadium was transformed into a mass vaccination clinic in the span of 18 days, according to the University of Maryland Medical System.

"I want to thank the entire Biden-Harris administration team for continuing to work with us to achieve our shared mission to get a vaccine to every single person who wants one as soon as possible," Hogan said.

See Also: How M&T Bank Stadium Was Transformed Into A COVID Mass Vax Site

When the Ravens made the stadium available for use as a mass vaccination site in February, it was among seven NFL teams to do so at the time, according to the National Football League, which subsequently offered all 30 NFL stadiums to the Biden administration to combat COVID-19.

Now 20 NFL stadiums are being used as mass vaccination sites, the University of Maryland Medical System reported Thursday.

The Baltimore stadium is among three mass vaccination sites in Maryland that began offering walk-up service in early April, with no appointment required.

"People can walk right into this stadium and get vaccinated," Harris said. "And this is happening around the country."

She thanked those giving and receiving shots to prevent the spread of the virus.

“The people working to administer vaccines are heroes,” Harris said at M&T Bank Stadium. “So, too, are the Americans who sign up for that appointment, make the time, and step up and get the shot. ”

The vice president issued a call to action for all Americans.

“If you haven't been vaccinated yet, or if you know somebody who hasn't, please ask folks to just roll up their sleeves,” Harris said. “It’s time for each one of us to do our part.”

Watch the speech Harris gave in Baltimore:

Maryland recently ramped up efforts to make the COVD-19 more accessible by offering no-appointment slots at mass vaccination sites, including three drive-thru locations: Six Flags America in Prince George's County, Regency Furniture Stadium in Charles County and Ripken Stadium in Harford County.

All eligible Marylanders can book appointments online at covidvax.maryland.gov or by calling Maryland’s COVID-19 Vaccination Support Center at 1-855-MD-GOVAX (1-855-634-6829).

As the vaccination effort continues, so does the nation's economic recovery.

Biden told Congress more than 1.3 million new jobs were created in the last 100 days, and Harris echoed his optimism about the future.

"Just this morning we got new data on how the economy did in the first quarter of this year, and things are looking up," Harris said. "America is once again on the move. And that's in big part thanks to exactly what's happening here in this stadium, which is this vaccination effort."

Joining Harris at M&T Bank Stadium Thursday were Gov. Hogan; Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott; U.S. Senatord Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen; Congressmen John Sarbanes and Kweisi Mfume; Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health; and other leaders.

See Also:

• In Address To Congress, Biden Says 'America Is Rising Anew'
• VP Kamala Harris To Visit Baltimore Thursday
• How We'll End The Coronavirus Pandemic: A Joe Biden Q&A

100 days. pic.twitter.com/M5ycQiwCFB
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) April 29, 2021