Lt. Governor Rutherford Referees “Get a Shot to Take a Shot” Soccer Shootout During Youth Vaccination Event in Howard County
ANNAPOLIS, MD—Lieutenant Governor Boyd K. Rutherford today visited a pop-up vaccination clinic at Chapelgate Christian Academy in Howard County. The clinic, hosted in partnership with the Maryland Department of Health and Howard County Health Department, administered the Pfizer vaccine to Marylanders ages 12 and older.
“With children back in summer camp and gearing up for in-person learning this fall, it is critical to ensure every Marylander who wants a vaccine can get access to one,” said Lt. Governor Rutherford. “Through pop-up vaccination clinics such as this one, we are meeting Marylanders where they are and making it easier to get vaccinated against COVID-19.”
During the clinic, young people who received a vaccine had the opportunity to meet Baltimore Blast goalkeeper William Vanzela and Rachel Campanero, a former Women’s National Team member and professional soccer player.
Lt. Governor Rutherford also refereed a soccer shootout between Vanzela and Campanero, who are encouraging those who can get vaccinated, to do so.
“We all know what we’ve been through. COVID-19 has been terrible in many ways,” said Vanzela. “I think the vaccine will help us return to normalcy, and I’m grateful for this opportunity to interact with the kids, and help the community.”
“I think it is great to incorporate soccer into this effort, because soccer brings people together,” said Campanero. “For us to find common ground and get people vaccinated is great.”
The pop-up clinic is a stop on Maryland’s GoVAX Summer Tour, which is bringing mobile clinics and vaccine outreach to cultural and community events and popular destinations across the state to reach unvaccinated individuals.
To date, 73.2% of Marylanders 18 and older have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Of the 455,326 residents between the ages of 12 and 17, 36.9% are fully vaccinated.
For more information on COVID-19 vaccines, visit covidLINK.maryland.gov.
