COVID-19 Vaccine Will Need Time, Transparency To Address Rocky Rollout, Shortages, Johns Hopkins Expert Says
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Two million Marylanders are eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine, but shortages continue to leave countless people waiting without an idea as to when they can get vaccinated.
So far, just 11% have gotten the vaccine due to supply shortages.
Experts say it's hard to predict exactly when a person at the top of the priority list will get that much-needed shot.
"It's very difficult to know exactly when someone can get their first dose. We know that states are ramping up the availability of appointments and vaccinations, but it is a very rocky process," said Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.
The lack of a centralized approach, Adalja said, means it will take time and transparency to overcome the rocky rollout.
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
This has led to problems statewide, including one example Adalja cited where people were turned away because of online links that allowed appointments to be overbooked.
"Everything right now I feel like is a little bit slow, a little bit delayed," Baltimore resident Tiara Pierson said.
Adalja said getting a COVID-19 vaccine should be as seamless as getting the flu shot, but people are feverishly checking multiple websites and hearing through word of mouth where they may be able to get a dose.
"It's not easy to predict when someone will get a vaccine even if they are high on the priority because there is so much uncertainty about supply and where to get a vaccine and how much effort a person is willing to put forward to get a vaccine," he said.
If and when Johnson & Johnson's single-dose vaccine candidate -- which is being manufactured in Baltimore -- is approved, Adalja is hopeful it will increase the flow of the vaccine.
As for when the country will reach the herd immunity threshold, he predicts it will be well into the summer.
For 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.
