December 21st, 2020 by WCBC Radio

Gov. Larry Hogan announced Monday that the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine has begun shipping to Maryland. The state expects to receive 104,300 doses of the vaccine, for which the Food and Drug Administration granted an emergency use authorization on Friday. Including the Pfizer vaccine, the state has been allotted 191,075 doses of vaccines. Phase 1A of the state's vaccination plan focuses on first responders, front-line health care workers and staff and residents of long-term care facilities. “As laid out in our statewide vaccination plan, our earliest vaccinations are focused on our front-line health care workers, the residents and staff of our nursing homes,” Hogan said in a statement. “We encourage our hospitals and local health departments to get our critical front line health care workers vaccinated as safely and quickly as possible.”

Every hospital in Maryland is receiving doses from the initial allotment. The number of doses is based on its total number of high-risk staff. By week's end, enough doses will have been distributed to vaccinate 90% of the state's front-line hospital staff. The remainder should be taken care of next week, state officials said.

Under a federal partnership, CVS and Walgreens locations are receiving shipments of the Pfizer vaccine to administer to nursing home residents and staff, with vaccination clinics expected to begin next week.

Each local health department will get an initial 100-dose shipment of the Moderna vaccine to make sure the state logistics chain is working in preparation for other Phase 1A shots. Health officers are encouraged to administer the vaccine to their vaccination teams.

After Phase 1A, the vaccines will next be given to essential workers and people at high risk of developing severe illness due to COVID-19.