Baltimore mayor seeks to directly buy COVID-19 vaccines from J&J
Updated: 5:07 PM EST Feb 8, 2021
I sent a letter to Johnson and Johnson or cresting Partnership to directly persist 300,000 doses of the vaccine manufactured here in Baltimore, uh, to help ensure equitable vaccine distribution to our residents. We know, uh, that to effectively combat covert 19, we need a greater supply of vaccine and a focus on equity. We must develop a model for distribution, focus on efficient and accessible vaccination strategies that put equity and harm reduction at the forefront of policy and planning operations due to inadequate supply. We know we’re struggling to distribute the vaccine to our residents in the swift an equitable way that we must do it in order to combat this deadly virus. To date, nearly 44001st doses have been administered by ah combination of the Baltimore City Health Department and our 11 hospital partners here in Baltimore. But unfortunately, due to proud to it prioritization dictated to us by the state and the extraordinary low supply of vaccine supply to the city Onley 3.4% of black residents have received their first dose of the vaccine, and that’s just simply unacceptable. Off those doses that have been delivered by health care providers in Baltimore. Less than 20% have been, uh, district distributed to the city’s health department. Given the city, Ah, very limited ability to improve this disparities. I wanna thank ill Health department and all of the people working tirelessly to ensure Baltimore residents are vaccinated as quickly as our supply allows. But we see in these numbers what is needed. What is needed is the supply. I want to thank Johnson and Johnson for selecting emerging bio solutions to manufacture the lifesaving vaccine. Here in Baltimore City, Emergent is and remains a strong partner to the city of Baltimore, and we’re proud of its role in fighting this pandemic. I believe that through this proposed partnership, Johnson and Johnson and Baltimore City can show a commitment to equity and efficiency and vaccine distribution in a way that is unprecedented across the U. S. We have the opportunity here to focus on equity equity by ensuring distribution to black and brown communities that have been historically underserved by big farmer. And with that, we’ll take a few questions. Good afternoon, Mayor Scott, I just have a quick question about the Johnson and Johnson proposal. Um, I’m just curious if you’ve had previous conversations with Johnson and Johnson, that would sort of indicate Ah, partnership like that is is likely to take place. Obviously, I’m sure there have been prior conversations about emergent bio solutions and stuff like that, but I wanted to ask about about No, this is This is about doing what’s right and what’s needed for the city. And we’re just very hopeful that Johnson and Johnson will realize what where we are right now and where we are as a country is the city and do something that will benefit a city in which they are producing their vaccines. Thank you, Alexa. Quick follow up to that. How confident are you that that could happen? What’s the likelihood? Do you think it could happen? Well, we we don’t know, Alexa, but this is you. Don’t you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take? Uh, this is about doing what’s right for the residents of Baltimore City, and this is why we decided to do that. And we’re again what we’re hopeful for. And we know that there’s other barriers that we will have to cross. We’ll be talking to our federal partners about those? Well, we’re hopeful is that Johnson and Johnson will recognize that they’re making this vaccine here in Baltimore. And it will be a shame if the Baltimore is didn’t directly benefit from Can I get a comment for you on the officer who was in field training now facing assault charges? How will the city continued to build public trust following an incident like that? Well, again, I think. Let me first thank the police commission this team for immediately moving to have that the officer or probationary officer terminated. It goes to show that, uh, that you heard that from us. Typically, you guys in the past you will be bringing that to us saying, Oh, this happened this weekend. No. We told you that this person was removed because that’s how you build trust through transparency. Through swift action, we’re going to continue to make sure that we’re reforming our department through the consent decree through the efforts that we have going on in Annapolis. And we’re gonna build trust by working directly with the community and taking action when we see things like this. Thank you, Mr Mayor. Uh, given the issue with supply and Now, with this roll out, what would you tell citizens who are having trouble getting appointments? The Health Department appointments are booked. What advice do you have to them? There’s a lot of confusion as to do. I do. I wait for a band to come to my neighborhood. What would you tell the citizens who are still waiting? Yeah, first thing is to be patient and that we’re still fighting. We were I was on a call today, and also, just to be very clear, that this is not just a Baltimore City issue. I was on a call today with a county leaders from the Eastern Shore in southern Maryland who all were complaining about the same exact thing the state’s rollout and how they’re doing the vaccine. Ah, gentlemen, one of our elected leaders from, uh, one of the counties in the Eastern Shore said that Wal Mart has gotten most of theirs, and many of them are going to people from Delaware that let everyone know that we’re going to continue to push both here partnership with our state, but also understanding that we have a functional president. Now. President Biden believes that covert 19 Israel that he’s gonna make sure the federal government is pushing these things out, that we’re gonna be ready here with our partners on the ground to get it out to people as soon as we get it to that point, should citizens sign up for a waiting list? Or I know there is a place where you can fill out on the health department website. Yeah, I live Dr. Gerard. Give the the explanation of exactly what folks should do, especially older adults, the folks who are most at risk about where we are and taking the number how we go get in contact with them. Yeah, so, specifically as it relates to older adults, we expanded something called our Maryland Access Point, which is a call in line for older adults who either are challenged to navigate the online registration system, Um, or just don’t have support to navigate it. They can actually call in and pre register. They could be put on a waiting list for a vaccine appointment. We’ve been given directives at the local health department to prioritize older adults, um, homeless as well as educators. And so that’s generally where our focus has been. Um just a reminder that this month for the month of February, our current vaccine pot is on Lee doing second doses. Um, but again, individuals can call into that map. Call line 4103962273 If they’re older than 65 and need support pre registering for vaccine in relation to the 50 to 100 vaccinations by this mobile unit, can you talk about the allotment? How much do you have kind of on hand. And how is that either being divvied out? Or how are you selecting these nursing homes that you spoke of during the presser for me? One more time I heard bits and pieces with the 50 to 100 vaccinations. How much does this mobile unit have in stock right now? Currently? Yeah. So again, we get notified of our allocation from the state sometimes a few days before we actually get it. And so we’re making decisions internally based on that prioritization that I mentioned specifically older adults in this case with the focus on senior housing sites and then based on what we’ve been notified we’re getting from the state, then we’re able to allocate to our partners to perform those vaccinations again. Typically, it’s been about 50 to 100. Obviously, we hope to see that number go up as actual quantity goes up, but it will vary from week to week. Based on what? Our allocation from the status. So there’s no number, though, because I know you mentioned that you’re going to to this coming week. Correct. Do you know how maney your how many doses you have So for for those individual sites, Yes. So we’ll give 100 for those individual sites as well and then in relation to the nursing homes. How are you selecting these that you’re going to with the mobile unit? Have they already been pre screened? So again, our nursing homes were part of the federal pharmacy partnership. But we know that even when the federal pharmacy partnership came in, they didn’t necessarily vaccinate um, every single resident of the nursing home or every single staff member. So we’re going back through that list to understand who may still be unvaccinated Onda. We’re gonna select based on who is still outstanding and has not yet been vaccinated through that partnership while also taking into I’m guessing because you said equitable ity their race and their neighborhoods. Thank you low just real quick. Um, just had a question about outreach. I know in past news conferences, you’ve mentioned that there has been some trust issue with the vaccine and a number of the neighborhoods that you’re targeting. Will this, uh, these mobile units and the staff that will be there? Will they help in this effort for the for the outreach to get people toe trust the process? Well, I think this is a part of it, but you’ll hear from us very, very quickly in the next few days about how we’re gonna roll out. Even Mawr, Biltmore, trust building. I know that That’s something we’re going to continue to do again. This is about not just when you’re talking about building trust for folks who may have vaccine hesitancy is greater than our health partners, right? They’re doing their portion. They’re gonna help with that. They continue to do that, but we’ll be partnering the Health Department of City about targeting and working with credible messengers to get in the community to make sure that we’re getting a message out from every standpoint. Thank you, everybody
Baltimore mayor seeks to directly buy COVID-19 vaccines from J&J
Updated: 5:07 PM EST Feb 8, 2021
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott is requesting to directly buy 300,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine that’s being manufactured in the city.|| Coronavirus updates | Maryland’s latest numbers | Get tested | Vaccine Info ||The mayor sent a letter Monday to the CEO of the company, saying the doses will help with ensuring everyone has a chance to get vaccinated.”We know that to effectively combat COVID-19, we need a greater supply of vaccine and a focus on equity,” Scott said during a news conference Monday afternoon. “Due to inadequate supply, we know we are struggling to distribute the vaccine to our residents in a swift and equitable way that we must do in order to combat this deadly virus.”The mayor acknowledged the need for a greater supply of the vaccine with a focus on equity.”Unfortunately, due to prioritization dictated to us by the state and the extraordinary low supply of vaccine supplied to the city, only 3.4% of Black residents have received their first dose of the vaccine, and that’s just simply unacceptable,” Scott said.Maryland online vaccination site locatorVaccine Data DashboardMaryland vaccination plan FAQsThe mayor said Johnson & Johnson and Baltimore City can show a commitment to equity and efficiency in vaccine distribution in a way that is unprecedented across the U.S.”This is about doing what’s right and what’s needed for the city. We’re just very hopeful that Johnson & Johnson will realize where we are right now as a country and a city and do something that will benefit the city in which they are producing their vaccine,” Scott said.Earlier Monday after touring Emergent BioSolutions in Baltimore, Gov. Larry Hogan told reporters that the mayor’s effort was “a nice try,” saying, “everybody would like to jump to the front of the line, but it’s not going to happen … neither the states nor the federal government can get around the process that’s in place.”Johnson & Johnson last Thursday submitted its single-dose vaccine to the Food and Drug Administration for an emergency use authorization.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott is requesting to directly buy 300,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine that’s being manufactured in the city.
|| Coronavirus updates | Maryland’s latest numbers | Get tested | Vaccine Info ||
The mayor sent a letter Monday to the CEO of the company, saying the doses will help with ensuring everyone has a chance to get vaccinated.
“We know that to effectively combat COVID-19, we need a greater supply of vaccine and a focus on equity,” Scott said during a news conference Monday afternoon. “Due to inadequate supply, we know we are struggling to distribute the vaccine to our residents in a swift and equitable way that we must do in order to combat this deadly virus.”
The mayor acknowledged the need for a greater supply of the vaccine with a focus on equity.
“Unfortunately, due to prioritization dictated to us by the state and the extraordinary low supply of vaccine supplied to the city, only 3.4% of Black residents have received their first dose of the vaccine, and that’s just simply unacceptable,” Scott said.
The mayor said Johnson & Johnson and Baltimore City can show a commitment to equity and efficiency in vaccine distribution in a way that is unprecedented across the U.S.
“This is about doing what’s right and what’s needed for the city. We’re just very hopeful that Johnson & Johnson will realize where we are right now as a country and a city and do something that will benefit the city in which they are producing their vaccine,” Scott said.
Earlier Monday after touring Emergent BioSolutions in Baltimore, Gov. Larry Hogan told reporters that the mayor’s effort was “a nice try,” saying, “everybody would like to jump to the front of the line, but it’s not going to happen … neither the states nor the federal government can get around the process that’s in place.”
Johnson & Johnson last Thursday submitted its single-dose vaccine to the Food and Drug Administration for an emergency use authorization.