All-Hands-On-Deck Effort to Reach Seniors, College Students, and Employers Across the State
Expanding Capabilities of Vaccine Support Call Center To Provide Direct Assistance To Marylanders In Over 200 Languages
Launching New PSA Featuring Trusted Physicians From Across The State
ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Larry Hogan announced the launch of a series of “No Arm Left Behind” initiatives, which involve every state agency, private industries, and every demographic in an all-hands-on-deck effort to make sure that every Marylander who wants a vaccine can get access to one as quickly as possible. These initiatives will target seniors, college and university students, and the state’s largest employers.
“Our goal throughout this massive effort has remained the same—to provide a vaccine to every single Marylander who wants one,” said Governor Hogan. “We truly are close to that light at the end of the tunnel. Those of you who have not yet been vaccinated, please go get a vaccine as quickly as you can. Do it for yourself, do it for your family, do it for your friends, and do it so that all of us can put this global pandemic behind us.”
Watch today’s press conference.
View the slides from today’s press conference.
The governor announced this new series of initiatives as the state surpassed 4 million vaccinations. Maryland ranks 12th in the nation for vaccinating its total population and is outpacing the national average in all of the key vaccination metrics.
Expanded Walk-Up Lines. The State of Maryland is expanding no-appointment necessary opportunities at mass vaccination sites, adding walk-up lines at the Baltimore Convention Center Field Hospital for Baltimore City residents, Greenbelt Metro Station, and Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Walk-up times and vaccination capacity may vary, and individuals should be prepared to wait depending on demand.
Mobile Clinics. The State of Maryland continues to expand the deployment of mobile clinics, utilizing both federal and state resources. The state has facilitated more than 50 mobile clinics, mostly as part of closed pods through targeted outreach and has begun to hold walk-up mobile clinics, including today at St. Hugh of Grenoble Church in Greenbelt.
“NO ARM LEFT BEHIND” INITIATIVES
Direct Outreach to Seniors. The state is redoubling its efforts to reach Maryland seniors, going county by county and zip code by zip code in an effort to get every senior vaccinated.
- Completed or scheduled clinics at 98% of all senior housing facilities in the state
- Directly and proactively contacting more than 70,000 of the state’s Medicaid recipients age 50 and older who have not received a vaccine and booking appointments for them
- Conducting clinics at dozens of senior centers through partnerships with Rite Aid, Safeway, and Giant pharmacies
As the governor announced earlier this month, senior centers will be authorized to safely reopen for in-person activities as early as April 30.
College and University Students. Everyone who studies at a Maryland higher education institution is strongly encouraged to get vaccinated.
- Partnering with the Maryland Higher Education Commission to conduct direct outreach to campuses
- Blocking off and reserving appointments at mass vaccination sites specifically for college and university students, including ‘university day’ slots at the Greenbelt FEMA site for multiple schools
- Partnering with 42 public and private universities, colleges, and community colleges on a social media and ad campaign to get a vaccine to every student who wants one
Brigadier General Janeen Birckhead, head of the Maryland Vaccine Equity Task Force, announced that the state will partner with two HBCUs in the coming weeks:
- Three-day-a-week clinic at Morgan State University for students, faculty, staff, and the broader community beginning on April 30
- Town hall and clinic at Bowie State University on April 26
Partnership With Major Employers. State health officials are partnering with some of the largest employers in the state, including Southwest Airlines, Exelon, Comcast, Amazon, and others to get their workforces vaccinated as expeditiously as possible.
- Continuing to conduct vaccine clinics for essential workers at manufacturers across the state
- Conducting outreach programs to Maryland’s agricultural workers
Expansion of Vaccine Support Call Center. Maryland is enhancing the capabilities of its state call center, which has already taken more than 1.5 million calls to answer questions and book appointments for mass vaccination sites.
- Providing direct assistance to Marylanders who need help getting a vaccine, particularly those who are homebound or who need transportation or technological assistance
- Available seven-days-a-week from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. by dialing 1-855-MD-GOVAX
- Support providers are available in over 200 languages
New PSA Featuring Physicians. The State of Maryland is launching a public service announcement (PSA) featuring physicians from across the state who discuss the safety of COVID-19 vaccines and encourage all eligible Marylanders to get vaccinated. This campaign will be expanded further in the coming weeks.
