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About a third of the vaccinations of those 75 and over, to date, have been for people who do not live in the county, according to health worker Dr Ernest Carter.
Officials in Prince George County, Maryland are canceling all COVID-19 vaccination appointments made by people who do not live and work in the county in order to prioritize elderly residents of the county and to make sure they are not stuck ‘in the back. “
Prince George County Leader Angela Alsobrooks announced the move at a press conference Monday morning.
When the county first opened vaccine appointments to people aged 75 and over as part of Phase 1b of the Maryland Vaccine Deployment Plan, the Planning System, a system operated by the State, did not allow the county to screen non-residents, and it was overwhelmed with appointments made. by people outside the county.
“There were a good number of people who signed up on this website who were not Georgian prince,” Alsobrooks said.
In total, about a third of the vaccinations for those 75 and over, so far, have been for people who do not live in the county, according to Dr Ernest Carter, the county health official.
Alsobrooks said last week the county would honor appointments, even from non-residents, until February 9, after which all appointments would be reset and only residents would be allowed to make appointments.
But Alsobrooks and Carter said Monday they decided to restrict appointments more quickly given the extremely limited supply of COVID-19 vaccines.
Now the county will check the ID for proof of residency or proof of employment “for every upcoming vaccination appointment,” Alsobrooks said.
The two officials apologized to county residents that so many vaccine appointments for residents of Prince George County were booked by non-residents.
“I have heard the concerns loud and clear,” Alsobrooks said. “I know it caused great concern, great consternation, as it should have.
She added: “We are doing everything we can to prioritize Prince Georgians in our vaccination effort. And we’re making sure that residents have access to this life-saving drug first and are not in the back of the line.
If there was a larger vaccine supply and a nationwide distribution plan, the county would likely be able to immunize non-residents, Carter said.
“But we have neither,” he added. “So we have to do it this way to make sure the residents of Prince George County are vaccinated.”
The only exception for non-residents receiving COVID-19 vaccine doses will be for those who have already received their first doses in the county. Appointments for the second doses will always be honored, Alsobrooks said.
The rollout of the vaccine across the United States has led to frustrations over limited supply.
Neighboring Montgomery County has yet to begin vaccinating people aged 75 and over – although they are now eligible – due to limited supply. Montgomery County officials said last week they were aware of reports that some residents had traveled to Prince George to secure appointments for vaccines.
Even given the limited supply, officials in the state of Maryland have decided to expand eligibility. Earlier this month, Gov. Larry Hogan announced that those aged 75 and over were eligible to receive the vaccine from Jan. 18, and those aged 65 to 74 from Monday as part of what the we call phase 1c of the plan.
Alsobrooks said older residents of Prince George should pre-register now for vaccine appointments on the county’s website. They will be contacted by county health officials when it is time to make an appointment and will be given a private link to do so.
Alsobrooks stressed that it could be several weeks before residents aged 65 to 74 can actually start making appointments. There are approximately 95,000 residents of the county in phase 1b, which is still ongoing, before the county begins firing in phase 1c.
Currently, the county is currently administering about 1,000 injections per day, although it expects to increase in the coming weeks.
The county’s website says those in Phase 1c will likely be able to start making appointments to get their shots from early to mid-March.
In addition to people aged 65 to 74, phase 1c includes grocery store workers, transit workers and postal workers.
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Improved numbers = restore inside to restart
Meanwhile, officials said they are finally seeing more encouraging signs during the COVID-19 pandemic after an outbreak earlier this winter.
The positivity rate in the county – the percentage of COVID-19 tests coming back positive – has declined – to 9.2% from 11.7% two weeks ago. The county target is less than 10%.
“Fortunately, we now see a trend in the right direction,” Alsobrooks said.
As a result, she said, the county is “moving cautiously” to resume indoor dining on Friday, with indoor capacity limited to 25%.
“That is unless of course there is a dramatic and unexpected change. But we are really convinced that it is going in the right direction, ”said Alsobrooks.
The county restricted dining indoors last month amid rising coronavirus cases.
Going forward, Alsobrooks urged residents to continue to exercise caution, wear head coverings, avoid large gatherings and practice social distancing – even as vaccinations increase.
“We’re going to have to walk and chew gum, folks,” Alsobrooks said.
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