Here to help you connect to a COVID-19 vaccine

In March, the Worcester County Health Department, along with local community partners, launched a new awareness campaign highlighting the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine and encouraging all eligible residents to become vaccinated when they have the opportunity.

There are currently three available COVID-19 vaccines in Worcester County. All three work in a similar fashion. None contain live COVID-19 virus; instead, all three contain information. The vaccines have a blueprint for a specific part of the virus that is harmless on its own: the hook COVID-19 uses to root itself inside its host. These vaccines teach our immune systems what that hook looks like, so that our bodies know what to watch out for should we encounter the actual virus. And since our bodies are on alert, they are able to destroy the hooks quickly so that COVID-19 can’t grow and infect those vaccinated.

All currently approved COVID-19 vaccines have been tested, measured and studied carefully. For the past few weeks, Worcester County has maintained one of the top spots in Maryland for the percentage of our population vaccinated against COVID-19. However, we know that even locally there is some disparity in the uptake of the vaccine by our minority population.

Additionally, there is a significant lack of vaccine doses for all residents, leading to a bottleneck where supply is unable to meet demand. We recognize that it’s frustrating to want the vaccine and not be able to receive it, and we hope to see the number of doses we are allocated each week by the state increase this spring.

“Our goal is always to empower our residents with both awareness and resources to take charge of their health,” said Rebecca Jones, Health Officer for Worcester County. “We are encouraging all eligible residents to receive any of the available COVID-19 vaccines as soon as they become available from any provider in the community. In the meantime, please continue to practice healthy prevention habits such as social distancing, wearing masks when in groups, washing your hands, and staying home when you are sick.”

We will be posting testimonial videos from Worcester County residents, leaders, and healthcare professionals throughout the spring talking about why they personally chose to get a COVID-19 vaccine and why they trust the science.

Online registration is required through the state of Maryland’s COVID-19 vaccine scheduling website. To register, go to https://www.marylandvax.org. Click the bottom blue button. Search “Worcester” to find health department clinic dates and locations. Officials recommend that anyone who is not comfortable filling out web forms seek the help of a friend or family member to complete the registration process. If you are unable to schedule your own appointment or not able to seek help from a friend or family member, please call 667-253-2140 and someone will help you to register. Once registered, you should receive a confirmation email within minutes – be sure to check your spam/junk folder.

We’re here to help you take your shot and get back to the moments you miss.