Following the direction of the State of Maryland, Washington County entered into vaccinating members of Priority Group 1C beginning January 25, 2021. The latest 1C guidance from the Maryland Department of Health now lists the following individuals eligible for vaccination:
- All adults over the age of 65
- Food and agricultural workers
- U.S. Postal Service workers
- Grocery/Convenience store workers
- Public and private transit workers
- Manufacturing workers
- Veterinarians and their support staff
- Members of clergy and others deemed essential support for houses of worship
- Everyone in Priority Groups 1A and 1B
Please note, the latest guidance from the Maryland Department of Health now requires local health departments to prioritize older adults aged 65 and up for vaccination appointment slots, as they become available. Currently the wait list for this group in Washington County is approximately 14,000 people.
With the State moving through the first three vaccination phases so quickly, the outpouring of demand for the COVID-19 vaccine outpaces not only the Health Department’s expectations but also the expectations of our local hospital and those of jurisdictions across the state. Interest forms created by the Health Department and Meritus Health have seen thousands of entries. Appointment slots, once made available, are taken within hours. While eligibility has been broadened, vaccine availability has remained the same, creating a bottleneck and frustrating residents.
The JIC is committed to providing transparent communication to Washington County residents. The points below provide an overview of vaccination rollout in Washington County over the next few weeks.
- Appointment Capacity: 3,500 appointments each week
- Thousands of people on the waitlist means it will take several weeks before you are contacted to schedule a vaccination appointment
- Please be patient and refrain from contacting the Health Department and Meritus to receive a status update on where you are on the waitlist and when you will be able to schedule your appointment
- You will receive a phone call to schedule an appointment. If you are in Phase 1A, 1B, or 1C priority groups and have completed an online form on either Meritus Health, MyChart, or the Health Department, you are on the waitlist.
We understand that being placed on a waitlist is not ideal, but please rest assured that you will be called when vaccine availability and capacity allows.
There is also a priority to administer the second dose of vaccination for first responders, health care workers, and other members of Priority Group 1A and 1B that received their first dose in January. For those who have received the first vaccination dose, a second dose must be administered for maximum effectiveness for the vaccine.
