COVID-19 Vaccine
COVID-19 VACCINE UPDATE 1/18/2021
Prince George’s County residents who are in Phase 1B are now eligible for vaccination appointments.
Individuals who live or work in Prince George’s County must fill out the pre-registration form. As vaccine appointments become available, individuals who are eligible will receive an email from the Health Department with a link and instructions on how to make a vaccine appointment. COVID-19 vaccines are offered by appointment only.
The following individuals are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in Phase 1B:
- Adults ages 75 and up
- Assisted living and other congregate settings (including staff and residents of homeless shelters)
- Education/Childcare Sector (teachers and support staff, higher education, child care workers)
- Government continuity of operations
Individuals who were eligible to receive vaccinations in Phase 1A and still have not received the vaccine should fill out the pre-registration form as well.
Anyone who lives or work in Prince George’s County who does not fall into Phase 1A or Phase 1B should still fill out the pre-registration form. Based on your responses, you will be notified of eligibility when the County moves into future phases of vaccine distribution, and as appointments become available, you will receive a link with instructions on how to schedule your vaccine appointment.
- What is a COVID-19 vaccine?
- What is Operation Warp Speed?
- How do we know the COVID-19 vaccine is safe?
- Is a COVID-19 vaccine necessary?
- Why would I need a vaccine if I can do other things — like social distancing, washing my hands and wearing a mask — to prevent the virus that causes COVID-19 from spreading?
- What is Maryland doing to help make sure people can get vaccinated against COVID-19?
- Does Prince George’s County have a campaign to address any concerns people may have about getting the vaccine?
- What is an emergency use authorization (EUA) and how is it used to respond to COVID-19?
- What percentage of the community needs to get vaccinated to have herd immunity to COVID-19?
- How many doses of a COVID-19 vaccine will be needed? Will a second booster dose be needed?
Vaccination Information for Health Care Providers
The Prince George’s County Health Department is preparing for the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine to County health care providers. To assist the Health Department with planning and preparation of healthcare worker vaccination clinics, we ask that you complete this pre-registration form on behalf of your facility to help us determine the number of individuals in your office who will likely receive the vaccine. If your facility/practice has multiple providers, please only complete one, inclusive survey.
This information will be used to provide you with a secure link that includes vaccine clinic registration details and instructions once the vaccine is available.
Please begin thinking about the following to better prepare your practice and staff for vaccination:
- Avoid vaccinating the entire workforce at the same time due to potential adverse effects and need for staff to take sick leave as a result;
- Sub-prioritize employees based upon occupational risk (not personal risk); and
- Schedule the second dose at the time of the first appointment for adherence and maximum efficacy.
Once the vaccine is widely available, (Phase 2), residents will be able to receive vaccinations through their health care provider or at a pharmacy (similar to the flu shot). Providers who want to receive vaccine directly to immunize patients must register with ImmuNet at www.mdimmunet.org. ImmuNet is a secure web-based registry where information is confidential, HIPAA and FERPA compliant, and available only to authorized users, and will not be released to third parties without written consent. Facilities interested in administering COVID-19 vaccinations will be provided with the updated process as it becomes available from MDH.
If you are an authorized user and need ImmuNet access to search for a patient, place a vaccine order, or report vaccine administration information, please complete this form. Organizations with multiple locations need to register each site separately.
We look forward to your partnership with this historic public health response.
Related Documents
Medical Reserve Corps
We are also accepting medical and non-medical volunteers for the Medical Reserve Corps to help with our unprecedented vaccination efforts. Anyone can sign up. To learn more and sign up to volunteer, visit https://bit.ly/PGCMedicalReserve and be sure to select Prince George’s County.
Vaccination Phased Distribution
*Individuals in prior phases are still eligible to sign up to receive vaccines as we move to additional phases.
COVID-19 vaccines will be distributed through a phased, equitable approach to the most at-risk populations first. Vaccination efforts will continue until every Prince Georgian is able to get the vaccine. The department may need to prioritize some groups further within these phases based on vaccine availability and distribution abilities.
Prioritization of those vaccinated in each phase is based on recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) as well as state guidance and is subject to change. A person’s eligibility to receive the vaccine is based on the current distribution phase the County is in.
Individuals who live or work in Prince George’s County should fill out the pre-registration form. When it is your turn to receive a vaccine and appointments are available, the Health Department will follow up with a link and instructions on how to schedule an appointment. Please note that you will not receive a notification from the Health Department until you are eligible based on the County’s vaccination distribution plan and appointments are available. Appointment availability is also based on vaccine supply, which is currently limited in the County and the State of Maryland.
PHASE 1: Healthcare Workers, Essential Personnel, & At-risk Populations
Phase 1A (January 2021)
- Hospital and frontline health care workers:
Most hospital and frontline health care workers will be vaccinated at their place of employment. - Residents and staff of long-term care facilities/nursing homes:
Individuals living and working in long-term care facilities and nursing homes will be vaccinated as a part of the Federal Pharmacy Partnership Program. The State of Maryland and/or the pharmacies that are part of the program will coordinate directly with long-term care facilities. - Frontline first responders/essential public safety workers:
All eligible frontline first responders and essential public safety personnel will receive an email from the County Health Department with instructions on how to make an appointment to receive their vaccination. - All licensed, registered and certified health care providers:
All licensed, registered and certified healthcare providers are required to report the number of individuals that will likely receive the vaccine using the vaccination pre-registration form. When the Health Department is ready to start scheduling appointments, these healthcare providers will receive a link to schedule their appointment. The pre-registration form is available here: https://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/FormCenter/Health-13/Prince-Georges-County-Health-Care-Provid-157 - Department of Corrections staff
The Department of Corrections staff will receive an email from the County Health Department with instructions on how to make an appointment to receive their vaccination.
Phase 1B (Begins January 18, 2021)
Individuals who are eligible to receive the vaccine in Phase 1B should fill out the County Health Department’s pre-registration form. As appointments become available, the Health Department will follow up with a link and instructions on how to schedule an appointment.
- Adults ages 75 and up
- Assisted living and other congregate settings
- Education/Childcare Sector (teachers and support staff, higher education, child care workers)
- Critical government leadership for continuity of operations
Phase 1C (Begins January 25, 2021)
Individuals who are eligible to receive the vaccine in Phase 1C should fill out the County Health Department’s pre-registration form. As appointments become available, the Health Department will follow up with a link and instructions on how to schedule an appointment.
- Adults 65 – 74 years of age
- Health and human services not covered in Phase 1A
- Public safety not covered in Phase 1A
- Essential workers at high-risk of exposure (in alphabetical order)
- Food and agriculture workers (farms and processing centers)
- Grocery store workers
- Public Transit workers (including transport for seniors and persons with disabilities)
- Postal Service workers
PHASE 2: Critical Infrastructure Personnel & At-risk Populations
As vaccine supply increases but remains limited, recommendations for who gets vaccinated next will expand to additional groups. Individuals who are eligible to receive the vaccine in Phase 2 should fill out the County Health Department’s pre-registration form.
- Residents 16 to 64 years old with medical conditions that increase their risk for severe COVID-19 illness including, but not limited to diabetes, obesity, chronic kidney disease, cancer, COPD, pregnant.
- Other essential workers (listed in alphabetical order)
- Court and legal personnel (state’s attorneys, public defenders, judiciary)
- Energy (Pepco, SMECO, BGE, Washington Gas)
- Finance (i.e., banks)
- Food service
- IT & Communications
- Media
- Public health workers (non-COVID response)
- Shelter & housing construction
- Social & human services (field/in-home services)
- Transportation (private transportation/ride-share services/taxis)
- Water and wastewater
- Remaining state, local, and municipal employees for continuity of government (elected officials included)
PHASE 3: General Public
When vaccine supply has reached a certain level, every Prince Georgian will have access to a COVID-19 vaccination.
- All remaining Phase 1 and 2
- General population
Related Documents
For Physicians
Vaccine Phases
- WEBSITE: CDC Coronavirus Vaccine Information
- WEBSITE: CDC Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines
- VIDEO: How CDC is Making COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
- VIDEO: NOVA | Immunity and Vaccines Explained | PBS
- VIDEO: How Vaccines are Developed | U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- VIDEO: COVID-19 Vaccine: Side Effects, Distribution and Differences Between Coronavirus Vaccines | University of California Davis Health
- WEBSITE: Maryland Department of Health (MDH) Vaccine Information & FAQs