Vaccines Open To Prince Georgians With These Conditions

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — Prince George's County advanced to stage 2B of its coronavirus vaccination plan on Monday. Residents 16 and up who have a qualifying medical condition or a disability can now get the shot at state, county or private clinics.

This expansion came after President Joe Biden announced that immunization shipments would start to grow this week.

"Given the increase in vaccine supply, those in later vaccine distribution phases will not have to wait as long," County Executive Angela Alsobrooks said in a newsletter.

About 10 percent of Prince Georgians are fully vaccinated, and nearly 22 percent have gotten at least one dose. These are still the lowest rates in Maryland, however.

With infections back on the rise, Alsobrooks is eager to speed up inoculation.

"We are not out of the woods yet, despite the progress we have made in our vaccine distribution efforts," the county executive warned. "Please continue to protect your loved ones from COVID-19 by wearing a mask, staying six feet apart from others, and pre-registering for your COVID-19 vaccine appointment."

Who Is Eligible?

In the accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, locals experiencing these health conditions are now eligible for the immunization:

• Cancer
• Chronic kidney disease
• Chronic lung diseases (Including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, interstitial lung disease, cystic fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension)
• Dementia or other neurological conditions
• Diabetes (Type 1 or type 2)
• Down syndrome
• Heart conditions (Including heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies and hypertension)
• HIV
• Immunocompromised state
• Liver disease
• Obesity and overweight
• Pregnancy (There is limited research on the inoculation's effect on people who are pregnant, but the existing data suggest there is a low risk of complications. The CDC recommends consulting with a doctor before getting the vaccine. More information is available here.)
• Sickle cell disease or thalassemia
• Smoking (Both current and former smokers are eligible.)
• Solid organ or blood stem cell transplant
• Stroke or cerebrovascular disease
• Substance use disorders

These conditions all increase the likelihood of severe illness from COVID-19. Click here to learn more.

Residents with disabilities who get any of these benefits are also eligible for the vaccine:

• Supplemental Security Income
• Social Security Disability Insurance
• Maryland Medicaid Employed Individuals with Disabilities incentives
• Maryland Medicaid Rare and Expensive Case Management services
• Temporary Disability Assistance Program benefits
• Long-term services and supports through the State of Maryland’s Medicaid waiver and state plan

Though these residents are eligible, earlier priority groups will still take precedence. That means locals in phases 1A, 1B, 1C and 2A may get appointments sooner than those in stage 2B.

"We will continue to prioritize seniors in Phase 1 who have not been vaccinated yet," the county executive said, noting that anybody can still preregister for a future appointment.

Next Up

Essential workers plus everybody 55 and older will be eligible on April 13 in stage 2C. Prince George's County will open the immunization to all residents 16 and up on April 27 as part of phase 3.

"When the County enters future phases of vaccine distribution, those individuals that have pre-registered will receive a notification that they are eligible," Alsobrooks mentioned.

Coronavirus Vaccine Resources

To see when you'll be eligible for the inoculation, read Patch's explainer. Check out our how-to guide to learn how to sign up for the shot.

Catch up on the latest coronavirus infection and vaccination metrics in Prince George's County with our most recent numbers update. Head to Patch's immunization page to keep up with Maryland's latest vaccine news.

RELATED:

• Vaccine Rollout Improves, But Cases Rise In Prince George's
• Coronavirus Vaccine: Prince George's County Lays Out Timeline
• How To Get COVID-19 Vaccine In Prince George's County
• MD Adds 6 Mass Vaccination Sites: Hogan

Have a story idea? Please contact me at jacob.baumgart@patch.com with any pitches, tips or questions. Follow me on Twitter @JacobBaumgart and on Facebook @JacobBaumgartJournalist to stay up-to-date with the latest Anne Arundel County and Prince George's County news.