PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. — With just 47 days until President Joe Biden’s directive to make every adult in the U.S. eligible for a vaccine, Maryland state Sen. James C. Rosapepe pleaded for an urgent plan to jump start low vaccination numbers across Prince George’s County.
Prince George’s represents the epicenter of the coronavirus crisis in Maryland, yet consistently reports the smallest percentage of its populace vaccinated – a seemingly intractable dynamic to the fear, frustration and apprehension of its health care workers and residents.
But in a weekly public Zoom meeting on the state’s vaccine rollout, Rosapepe (D-Prince George’s County) illustrated an acute fear: that newly eligible adults from neighboring counties could flood the Olney Six Flags mass vaccination site on May 1, leaving fewer doses available for Prince Georgians.
“We have to get this [Prince George’s vaccination effort] to scale by May 1,” Rosapepe began on the call.
“Because after May 1, we’re going to have all these other people qualify… And all the wonderful people in Howard County, and all the wonderful people in Frederick County, and all the wonderful people in Dorchester County, who drive to Prince George’s to get a vaccine, it ain’t gonna help the people in Prince George’s.”
Acting Health Secretary Dennis R. Schrader agreed with Rosapepe’s assessment, offering to continue discussions on a data-driven plan in the coming days.
Updated vaccination numbers Monday illustrated Prince George’s deep deficit in vaccinations – a problem policy makers have not yet been able to solve or pinpoint a definitive cause for.
Prince George’s reported 12.6% of its population vaccinated with a first dose, the lowest figure across Maryland. By contrast, neighboring Montgomery County reported 20.8% of its residents inoculated with a first dose.
“It’s ridiculous that the second-largest jurisdiction in the state, the jurisdiction in the state which had the most COVID infections, where we have some of the hottest spots in the state, is so far behind everyplace else,” Rosapepe said.
“We need a plan with goals and metrics that say, ‘by this date, we’re going to at least get protection of people in Prince George’s County up to the statewide average.’”
Schrader, Maryland’s top health official, touted encouraging local partnerships such as the county’s First Baptist Church of Glenarden beginning vaccine clinics Tuesday.
“I’m for Glenarden, I’m for Six Flags, but I’m not talking about micro-anecdotes,” Rosapepe said. “I’m talking about a strategy that’s macro… I’d like a date on it. I’d like metrics on it.”
In response, Schrader offered, “The more we meet these local organizations at the grassroots and we start getting momentum, I think by word of mouth it’ll start to spread, and the demand will go up.”
“The demand is there, people are on waiting lists,” Rosapepe said. “They’re not just refusing the shots. Demand is not the issue, organization of delivery is the issue.”