ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) — Gov. Larry Hogan, First Lady Yumi Hogan, and Lieutenant Governor Boyd Rutherford received their COVID-19 vaccines on Monday.
The governor’s office said they will receive them publicly to help promote the vaccines’ safety and efficacy.
READ MORE: Kendrick Hasty's Death Ruled Homicide, Linked To 2016 Baltimore ShootingHe thanked them Monday for joining him “to show people that they are safe and to encourage Marylanders to sign up to get vaccinated.”
Hogan also thanked the National Guard medics who are helping with vaccinations across the state.
‘I feel good. I feel like I could drop and give you a hundred push ups right now,’ Maryland Governor Larry Hogan says after receiving the #COVID19 vaccine @wjz pic.twitter.com/P9sDwoDxx7
— Mike Hellgren (@HellgrenWJZ) January 18, 2021
“You guys did a great job and I really didn’t feel that,” the governor said. “I also feel good I feel like I could drop and give you 100 push ups right now.”
Hogan stressed the likelihood of experiencing significant side effects from the vaccine “is less than 0.5%,” adding getting the vaccine is “the only way to end the danger to our economy and bring this pandemic to an end.
CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES:
- Coronavirus Resources: How To Get Help In Maryland
- TIMELINE: Coronavirus In Maryland, Tracking The Spread
- Latest coronavirus stories from WJZ
- Latest CDC Guidelines
Starting Monday, inmates at high risk of developing complications from the coronavirus, as well as teachers and Marylanders aged 75 and older, will also start getting vaccinated as the state moves into Phase 1B of its vaccine distribution plan.
Vaccinations are by appointment only for now.
READ MORE: Pasadena Man Died In Dec. 2020 As a Result Of 1984 Shooting, Medical Examiner RulesLast week, some health departments told WJZ they were starting to run out of vaccines.
NOTICE: @MontgomeryCoMD @MoCoDHHS has NOT yet received enough vaccine from @MDHealthDept to finish/complete Priority Group 1A. *FYI – Priority Group 1B will begin ASAP while continuing to vaccinate those in Priority Group 1A. Click here for more: https://t.co/MclWl8cNFL. https://t.co/TPDfiFlGKt pic.twitter.com/XQFTIPaEHQ
— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) January 18, 2021
Appointments in Baltimore City are full through January, although the health commissioner said they are working to make more available.
"There arent any appointments!"
In the first 24 hours of the state's announcement that we would be moving to Phase 1b, we saw a surge of interest from the public to our website, taking all available Baltimore City appointment slots in Maryland's "PrepMod" appointment system. /4— B'more City Health (@BMore_Healthy) January 18, 2021
The governor said with the state receiving an average of 10,000 doses a day from the federal government, Maryland will run out of doses unless the federal government ramps up supply.
The state health department reports 233,309 people have received their first dose of the vaccine in Maryland. In the last 24 hours, 9,569 people were given their first dose. More than 21,800 have received their second dose of the vaccine, 505 in the last 24 hours.
MORE NEWS: A Year Ago, Maryland Reported Its First COVID Cases. Today Gov. Hogan Will Honor Those Who Lost Their Lives To The VirusFor the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department’s website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ’s coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.
