TAKOMA PARK, Md. — Montgomery County's Chief Health Officer Travis Gayles says that at the current pace of vaccination, it could take two years before everyone in the county receives a vaccination.
Shortcomings in vaccine distribution and availability are being criticized by elected officials and people throughout Maryland.
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich told The Daily Drum on WHUR radio Monday that the vaccine supply from the federal government appears to be the chief component of the problem.
A different problem, however, exists for Maryland educators and essential school staff. The state is five weeks away from March 1 -- when Maryland Governor Larry Hogan wants schools back open.
That's a problem for people like Montgomery County resident Stephanie Jones, a support specialist at Takoma Park Middle School. She's in charge of purchasing. This week, she's buying things for the school like social distancing stickers. She is getting ready to welcome some children back to school.
Jones was able to make an online appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at the White Oak Community Center on Monday. The state of Maryland is currently vaccinating people in priority group 1C, which includes teachers and school support staff.
Jones arrived for her appointment, but was quickly rejected from getting the vaccine.
"She asked me for my work ID. I showed her my school ID and she said 'Nope. We're not doing educators. You've gotta go back.' And I was like really?" said Jones.
Turns out, Montgomery County is NOT vaccinating group 1C at this point. It is only vaccinating in priority group 1B, which includes educators and staff. But right now the County is prioritizing vaccines for residents 75 and older.
"We as a county haven't moved to the point where we are providing vaccines as part of the County apparatus to educators and leaders," said County Health Officer Travis Gayles on WHUR Radio's The Daily Drum on Monday night.
Jones says she's baffled to hear that schools will be expected to reopen by March if school teachers and staff aren't able to get their vaccinations.
"I'm just so frustrated. Like, I don't understand. The Governor is saying we have to go back March 1 or else," said Jones.
On WHUR, Gayles teased an upcoming announcement that would affect teachers and school staff.
"We will be announcing in the very near future a strategy that will work to include teachers and provide them access to the vaccine," Gayles said.
On that radio program, hosted by Harold Fisher, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich indicated that a software problem was allowing Montgomery County teachers and staff to sign up for vaccine appointments, even though they are not yet eligible in Montgomery County.
Elrich said the state's website was unable to set criteria that would differentiate counties and their current vaccine priority groups.
"Many educators are hearing at your press conferences that they can now get vaccines only to find no vaccine available to them in their counties," said the statement from MSEA President Cheryl Bost.
"It is deeply disappointing that you are spending your time and energy blaming and threatening educators rather than fixing the problems that are making it harder to reopen our schools and state more broadly."
WUSA9 asked the governor's office for a response to the letter. Here's what they said:
“Now we just need teachers' union leaders to put this same kind of passion and energy into giving our students the chance to safely get back into classrooms,” said Hogan’s Communications Director Mike Ricci.
Governor Hogan plans to address vaccine distribution at a 2 p.m. Tuesday press conference in Annapolis.