COVID-19 Metrics Trending Upward: How To Get The Vaccine In HoCo

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — County officials have struggled to receive enough COVID-19 vaccines in recent time, concerning residents who are eligible to receive the shot. Many Howard County residents have grown impatient with the vaccination process, but officials' hands are tied since the state receives its vaccination supply from the federal government. The signup process also can be confusing for some, making them wonder how to schedule an appointment and if they're even eligible to receive a shot and where can they obtain a vaccination.

To address these questions — and help clear up confusion about the vaccine — Patch has created this guide. It provides a rundown of the state's inoculation plan, as well as links to vaccination bookings.

The guide will be updated as new information becomes available.

Maura J. Rossman, Howard County Health Officer, said that an "increased vaccine supply and expanded eligibility will soon make it easier to receive vaccine." She also warned residents to be more cautious because COVID-19 metrics are trending upward.

"(Sunday) our positivity rate was 4.54 percent and our new case rate is 16 per 100,000. This uptick in cases is concerning and we must be diligent in continuing to wear facial coverings, physically distance, avoid gatherings and get tested when exposed or develop symptoms," she said.

Know your priority group

Before we dive into how to get the COVID-19 vaccine, it's important to know who is first in line to receive the shot. The state of Maryland has broken down its vaccination plan into five phases: 1A, 1B, 1C, 2 and 3.

Health care workers, residents and staff of nursing homes, and first responders were among the first to be inoculated. Next came Marylanders age 75 and older, those in group homes or other congregate living facilities, school staff, child care providers and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Maryland currently is in Phase 1C of its vaccination plan, which includes:

• Essential workers in lab services
• Food/agriculture production
• U.S. Postal Service
• Public mass transit
• Grocery store employees
• Cancer patients in active treatment
• Individuals currently being treated in a hospital and diagnosed with COPD, diabetes, and sickle cell disease
• Veterinarians and support staff

The Howard County Health Department began scheduling vaccine appointments for all groups in Phase 1C March 22. All phases are eligible now to pre-register for vaccines.Per the governor's guidance, Phase 1C includes:

• Adults aged 65-74
• Essential healthcare workers not in Phase 1A
• Critical manufacturing workers
• U.S. Postal Service and mass public transit workers
• Veterinarian and support staff
• Clergy/other essential staff for houses of worship
• Food/agriculture production workers
• Grocery store and food bank workers
• Certain immunocompromised individuals

Effective March 23, all residents ages 60 and older are eligible. Beginning March 30, all residents 16 and older who have underlying medical conditions that increase the risk for severe COVID-19 illness will be eligible. Beginning April 13, the following groups will be eligible:

• Residents ages 55+
• Workers in the following areas:

* Essential construction* Food services* Utilities* Transportation* Financial* IT workers

(A more comprehensive list of eligible residents can be found here).

Ways to register for a vaccine

Vaccinations are being offered through the county, the state and multiple hospitals. Lisa DeHernandez, public information officer for the Howard County Health Department, encourages residents to not be particular about which vaccine they receive and to take whichever one is being offered at the time of their vaccination appointment.

"All are lifesaving," DeHernandez told Patch. "Anecdotally, we have had people express their preference for one or another, but generally, most people that have communicated with us are simply looking to be vaccinated with whichever.

To learn how to pre-register for the vaccine, visit https://www.howardcountymd.gov/Departments/Health/MM-Alerts-and-Recalls/COVID-19-Vaccine-Registration-Guidance. You can also call the Howard County Health Department at 410-313-6300. The COVID-19 information line can be reached at (410) 313-6284. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Residents need to fill out only one survey and only once; after that, they will receive emails from the county health department each time a clinic has appointments available for that resident's phase.

Where to find an appointment

• CVS
• Giant Food
• Walgreens
• Safeway
• Martin's

Howard County General Hospital also is offering the vaccine to those with an appointment. Registration information can be found on the hospital's website. COVID-19 vaccination clinics also are being offered at Howard Community College's Athletics & Fitness Center. Appointments are required for all clinics there. No walk-ins will be accepted.

Howard County has added vaccine data to its COVID-19 data dashboard at staycovidsafe.howardcountymd.gov. The data details daily shots administered by the Howard County Health Department, total Howard County residents who have received first or final dose, and demographic details, including age and race. Howard County Executive Calvin Ball has established an interagency vaccine coordinating team to help with the coordination of outreach activities and to execute more targeted distribution of the vaccine to communities with access challenges or lower vaccine confidence. The Mobile Integrated Community Health unit will expand to bring the vaccine to these targeted areas for distribution, as supply allows.

"The infrastructure built to reach our hard-to-count or less likely to respond populations during the Census include many of the same communities that have increased vaccine hesitancy, difficulty accessing technology required for vaccine registration and/or lack of transportation to vaccine clinics," Stephanie Adibe, deputy director of the department of community resources and service, said. "We are taking a 'meet you where you are' approach by leveraging partnerships with faith-community leaders to expand vaccine access in the community for our most vulnerable residents and those whom technology and language may be barriers to accessing the vaccine."

"Faith communities are partnering with the local government relying on good science and medicine to increase access and awareness about the Covid-19 vaccine," added Rev. Dr. Robert Turner, senior pastor of St. John Baptist Church. "We firmly believe that we will not positively impact peoples' lives during this pandemic, or at any other time, by simply coming to church virtually or in person. However, we will make a positive difference when we take advantage of opportunities like this to be a community access point. That's why we offer our facility and participate in collaborative service offerings like this."

Moderna vs. Pfizer vs. Johnson & Johnson

There are three vaccines currently available in the United States.

Moderna, Pfizer
The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are more alike than they are different. They both deliver messenger RNA (mRNA) — a genetic recipe that teaches your body how to build the spike protein found on the surface of the coronavirus. If the real virus enters the body, your immune system will recognize it and know how to fight it. Moderna and Pfizer's vaccines require two shots. The difference: Pfizer's vaccine must be stored in ultra-low temperature freezers. Moderna's vaccine needs to be frozen, too — just not at minus 70 degrees Celcius.

Both drug companies claim their vaccine candidate is highly effective. Moderna says its vaccine has an efficacy rate of 94.1 percent, while Pfizer reports its vaccine has an efficacy rate of 95 percent. No serious side effects were reported. Some mild side effects that were reported in clinical trials include muscle and joint pain, fatigue, chills, fever, and headaches.

Moderna's vaccine is for people 18 years old and up. Pfizer's vaccine is authorized for people 16 and older.

Johnson & Johnson
Unlike the other two vaccines, the J&J vaccine is administered in a single shot. It also uses a different technology to prime the body to fight against COVID-19. Instead of mRNA, J&J utilizes an adenovirus — a common cold virus that cannot replicate and make a person sick once it enters the cells.

Ultimately, the cold virus will deliver the coronavirus-fighting genetic blueprint into the cells and teach the immune system how to recognize the spike protein found on the surface of the coronavirus. Adenovirus vaccines can be refrigerated for up to three months at 36 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Clinical trials did show the J&J vaccine as being less effective against the virus compared with the vaccines developed by Moderna and Pfizer. The company said the vaccine has a 72 percent efficacy rate among trial participants in the U.S., but is about 85 percent effective against the most severe forms of the virus. Moderna and Pfizer tout efficacy rates at or near 95 percent. Based on the findings, some people worry they're being offered a second-rate vaccine. But health officials beg to differ.

While none of the vaccines are 100 percent effective against COVID-19, they all meet the 50 percent efficacy threshold established by the FDA. J&J's vaccine is for people 18 years old and up.

"With three safe and effective vaccines at our disposal, we are hopeful that we will be able to get more Howard County residents vaccinated at Health Department sites and at sites in the community," Dr. Maura Rossman, Howard County health officer, said. "We encourage people to take advantage of any life-saving vaccine that may be offered."