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The Maryland Department of Health will begin airing television ads this week in which Prince George鈥檚 County Executive Angela D. Alsobrooks (D) calls the COVID-19 vaccines 鈥渟afe鈥� and an important step toward getting back to 鈥渙rdinary life.鈥�
There are two versions of the ad 鈥� that will air on cable and streaming television in the Washington, D.C., market, including her home county, and a that will be available on the state鈥檚 鈥淕oVAX鈥� website.听
The state is using GoVAX 鈥渁mbassadors鈥� 鈥� almost all high-profile Marylanders of color 鈥� to reduce vaccine hesitancy. Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan (R) in late January with Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott (D).听
Although Maryland鈥檚 opened its first mass-vaccination site at Six Flags America in Largo, Prince George鈥檚 ranks last in vaccinations.
According to the state鈥檚 , 7.6% of the country鈥檚 residents have received their first dose, and 3.9% have received both doses.
Charles County, which is 50.1% African-American, has the second-worst ranking at 9.7% and 4.4%, respectively. Baltimore City has the third-lowest numbers, 11.7% and 6.9%.听
Across the state, 13.9% of the population has received one dose; 7.7% of Marylanders have received both. Three counties 鈥� Kent, Talbot and Worchester 鈥� are above 20%.
The state鈥檚 lagging distribution rate in minority communities has triggered sometimes-tense discussions between state lawmakers and Maryland鈥檚 acting heath secretary, Dennis R. Schrader.听
Maryland鈥檚 population is 50.2% white, but have gone to white people. , but only 15.7% of its vaccination allocation has gone to Black people.
鈥淲hat I鈥檝e noticed is that that gap has grown, rather than closed,鈥� legislative analyst Michael Powell told the Senate鈥檚 Vaccine Work Group . 鈥淧rince George鈥檚 County, which is somewhere around 15% of Marylanders, [is] somewhere around 7% of the folks who have gotten the vaccine so far.鈥�
Some lawmakers have said the state has not done enough to get vaccines into non-white neighborhoods.
The state鈥檚 three existing mass-vaccination sites at Six Flags, the Baltimore Convention Center and at nearby M&T Bank Stadium. The fourth site will open later this month in Waldorf.
The state Health department has begun to partner with large majority-Black churches and to use sound trucks with Spanish messages to reach neighborhoods that are home to significant numbers of Latinx residents.听
Brigadier General Janeen Birckhead of the Maryland National Guard has been tapped by Hogan to lead a 鈥淰accine Equity Task Force.鈥�
In the spots, Alsobrooks 鈥� speaking directly to camera 鈥� says she got vaccinated 鈥渟o that others would trust it.鈥�听
鈥淭his vaccine has been tested,鈥� she adds. 鈥淪cientists and doctors are able to tell us that is it safe for us to take.鈥�听
The executive acknowledged there exists 鈥渁 degree of hesitancy.鈥�听
One of her top aides, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Health, Human Services and Education George L. Askew, in December when he recalled the federal government鈥檚 mistreatment of people of color.
鈥淚 can tell you, not once in my lifetime, did any of [my ancestors] say to me, 鈥楬ey, trust in your government. They will always do what鈥檚 in your best interests,鈥欌�� he said. 鈥淣or did they ever say, 鈥楴ever question what The Man is asking you to take, eat or inject.鈥欌��
Alsobrooks said 鈥渋t is important for us to take this vaccine not just for ourselves but for those we love. 鈥�听听This is what is necessary for us to get back to everyday ordinary life.鈥�
Hogan last week when, speaking of vaccines, he said that Baltimore City 鈥渉ad gotten far more than they really were entitled to.鈥�听
Scott issued a statement in rebuttal, declaring: 鈥滲altimoreans are Marylanders, too. They are both entitled to and deserve the vaccine.鈥�
