Maryland enters Phase 2B for COVID-19 vaccines; cases on rise – WBAL TV Baltimore

Almost 1 million more Marylanders became eligible Tuesday to get the COVID-19 vaccine.|| COVID-19 updates | Maryland’s latest numbers | Get tested | Vaccine Info ||Maryland entered Phase 2B of its vaccine distribution program in an effort to get more people vaccinated as more federal supply becomes available. Under Phase 2B, residents 16 and older with certain medical conditions are eligible to get the vaccine.In the past 24 hours, more than 55,000 Marylanders got their shots. So far, about 15.5% of the state’s population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19.Maryland online vaccination site locatorVaccine Data DashboardMaryland vaccination plan FAQsHundreds of Marylanders on Tuesday filed through the mass vaccination site at M&T Bank Stadium in downtown Baltimore to get a COVID-19 shot.”Me and my dad, this is our first shot. So we are happy and feel safe now,” said Bikram KC, of Ellicott City.”I just hope we get to go back to school, you know? More days a week in person. I hope it kind of helps with that,” said Lorenzo Barnett, of Harford County.Officials note entering Phase 2B comes as the pace of vaccinations is picking up. Vaccine supply has increased along with the number of vaccinators, and private providers are starting to get doses, too.Eligible Marylanders can pre-register at one of state’s mass vaccination sites by visiting covidvax.maryland.gov or calling 1-855-MD-GOVAX.But at the same time, COVID-19 cases are once again on the rise.”(We’ve) got to keep doing what we’ve been doing to keep everybody safe,” said Ismail Imam, of Laurel. “I believe people are letting their guard down, and I don’t think this is the time to do that.”Public health officials are closely tracking the increasing numbers, particularly in the Baltimore metro region, urging residents to double down on health measures.”It really does mean that, you know, as we’re entering the Easter weekend and holidays, that folks are going to have to continue to avoid large gatherings and wear masks when they’re visiting with folks,” Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman said.”Vaccines are here, things are getting better, but at the same time, spread is occurring, and this is why it’s important to continue masking and avoiding gatherings for right now because we need to give everybody a chance to get vaccinated,” Anne Arundel County Health Officer Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman said. “So we just ask you to hold on. We can see what it looks like, and that the summer is going to be a lot better. It’s going to be very different. It’s going to be more like 2019 than it’s going to be like 2020.”An update came Tuesday on the progress of the new, state mass vaccination site at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Pittman said that site is on track for a soft launch on April 15 and April 16 with 500 shots a day, but it will ramp up to 1,000 shots a day by the following weekend before expanding to 1,500 a day soon thereafter.