'Back To Normal By Memorial Day' Is MD Governor's Goal

MARYLAND — While President Joseph Biden wants 70 percent of Americans to have had at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by Independence Day, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said he hopes to get there sooner.

"We'll be way ahead of that," Hogan said Tuesday. "Some states may have difficulty. We will not."

In fact, Hogan said he had set a different goal for himself.

"The President said he wanted to get things back to normal by the Fourth of July," Hogan said. "My plan is [to] get things back to normal by Memorial Day, which is coming up very soon.

Memorial Day is Monday, May 31, a little less than four weeks away.

Nursing Homes Continue Progress

Speaking at FutureCare NorthPoint in Dundalk, Hogan noted the state had made progress vaccinating nursing home residents and staff.

"Last spring, for states across the nation, nursing homes became ground zero in the fight against COVID-19," Hogan said. Strike teams were deployed to address outbreaks, and nursing homes restricted visitors as the virus spread.

Now, nursing homes have become a beacon of hope in efforts to end the pandemic.

Statewide, more than 85 percent of residents over 65 have been vaccinated against COVID-19, the governor reported Tuesday.

When the COVID-19 vaccine became available this winter in Maryland, Hogan said: "The very first shot was given out of a nursing home."

A new plan will ensure vaccines are readily available to all who live and work in nursing homes, according to Hogan.

"As part of our No Arm Left Behind initiative, we have activated state mobile vaccination teams to conduct additional clinics at Maryland nursing homes," Hogan said. "We have already held at least three vaccination clinics at every single one of more than 1,900 nursing home assisted living facilities across the state."

More than 30 clinics will be conducted each week at nursing homes statewide, the governor reported.

The Maryland Department of Health also issued an order that requires nursing home facilities to report resident and staff vaccination data.

The COVID-19 vaccination dashboard will be updated weekly through the Maryland Department of Aging and will be posted inside each facility.

Children Next In Line For COVID-19 Shots

As COVID-19 vaccines become more readily available, regulators are looking at whether they are suitable for children.

While all Marylanders 16 and older are eligible for COVID-19 vaccination, the Pfizer vaccine is the only shot that has been authorized for use among those 16 to 18 years old.

The Food and Drug Administration is reviewing use of the Pfizer vaccine for those younger than 15, according to NBC.

"As soon as that thing is approved, we're going to be ramping up," Hogan said, noting it would enable 455,000 adolescents to be eligible for the vaccine in Maryland. "We'll be ready to proceed with them right away."

Currently, Maryland is working to vaccinate older teens.

"We got a lot of our 16 to 17-year-olds now done that are in the high schools," Hogan said. "The next step is these 12 to 15-year-olds."

Since the state opened eligibility to all Marylanders age 16 and up in mid-April, the governor reported "a large percentage" of people who have expressed interest have been able to get vaccinated.

"We now have two groups left," Hogan said. "People that are sort of ambivalent that say, 'Well, I'm not sure if I want it or not,' or 'Maybe I'll get it eventually, but I don't see the need.' And then there's another group that just says, 'I'm not interested. I don't want to get it.' And, you know, we've got to get everybody convinced in order to stop this thing."

Since the pandemic began, the Maryland Department of Health reports more than 450,000 cases of the virus have been confirmed in the state, where over 8,600 people have died from COVID-19.

Schedule an appointment at one of Maryland’s mass vaccination sites online or call 1-855-MD-GOVAX (1-855-634-6829).

"Those who are not vaccinated will continue to be at risk of infection, hospitalization and death," Hogan said. "So if you are not yet vaccinated, please get your vaccine immediately to keep you, your family and neighbors safe so that we can put this pandemic behind us once and for all and get back to life as normal."

Watch the governor's news conference, streamed by WJZ, from North Point in Baltimore County.

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