BALTIMORE, MD (January 5, 2021) — Today, Mayor Brandon M. Scott and Health Commissioner Letitia Dzirasa outlined the COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan for residents in Baltimore City. In December 2020, pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Moderna were granted Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) for COVID-19 vaccines.

The Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD) received its first 100 doses of vaccine on the week of December 20 and began vaccinating public health professionals who will be providing vaccinations, COVID-19 testing, and other clinical services staff on December 29. The week of December 27, BCHD received its second allocation, 2600 doses, to begin administering larger-scale Phase 1A vaccinations. 

“We are pleased to announce that the COVID-19 vaccine has arrived in Baltimore and will begin to be administered in the city today,” said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. “We are grateful to the CDC and Maryland Department of Health for making these initial allocations to Baltimore. We will continue to work closely with them to ensure a steady flow of doses into the city in the coming weeks and months.”

The Health Department is working to ensure a smooth and efficient rollout of the vaccine in Baltimore City, utilizing the ethical principles outlined by the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices: "maximize benefits and minimize harm, promote justice, and reduce health inequity." Due to limited initial supplies of the vaccine, the Health Department has worked closely with the Maryland Department of Health and other local health departments across the state to develop priority groups, and sub-priority tiers for allocating the vaccine, to ensure as near-consistent prioritization across the state. In Baltimore City, specific population factors and priorities to tailor sub-prioritization to meet the needs of Baltimore City residents were taken into account.

The Health Department will begin its pod vaccination process following the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) phases & priority groups today at the Under Armour Port Covington Campus. In Phase 1A, BCHD is responsible for vaccinating first responders and healthcare workers. BCHD will continue working closely with MDH and the CDC to monitor updates in allocations, phases and priority groups, and any other relevant clinical guidance related to the administration and the distribution of vaccines. For more information on the City’s vaccination plan, visit coronavirus.baltimorecity.gov/covax.

“I want to thank our Health Department staff and volunteer public health vaccinators from Maryland Responds for stepping up to begin vaccinations rapidly – the vaccine is the most vital tool we have for bringing an end to the pandemic,” Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Dzirasa said. “While this is a promising step, it will take time to implement, and while we move through this process, residents should continue following COVID-19 best practices – wear a face covering outside your home, avoid large gatherings, and practice social distancing.”

The City of Baltimore and BCHD are committed to continuing to provide community-based mobile COVID-19 testing to ensure residents continue to have access to no-appointment/walk-up testing, while BCHD scales up its COVID-19 vaccination efforts. 

For information on the City’s COVID-19 response and current mandates, visit coronavirus.baltimorecity.gov.