Maryland Counties Vaccinate Youngest Schoolchildren

Rachel Logan, Capital News Service • November 23, 2021


Over two weeks into vaccine eligibility for 5- to 11-year-olds, all local school and health systems in Maryland have agreed to facilitate clinics, and vaccination rates are climbing.

 

Gov. Larry Hogan (R) announced Nov. 3 that children 5 to 11 years old could receive vaccinations. State Secretary of Health Dennis Schrader estimated there are 518,000 children in Maryland that age.

 

Nearly 80,000 children, or 15% of those in that age group, have gotten their first doses, according to Maryland Department of Health data as of Friday. Vaccinations for 5- to 11-year-olds made up 44% of all vaccinations statewide since Nov. 3.



According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Maryland has received the third-most vaccines from the federal government per 100,000 residents of any state, as of Nov. 18.

 

At Monday's Senate Vaccine Oversight Workgroup meeting with state lawmakers, Schrader said that the state wasn’t anticipating any supply issues.

 

Schrader also said it was too early to draw conclusions on racial or socioeconomic disparities in vaccine uptake across the state among younger children, and that the state health department would reserve judgment until three or four weeks into the rollout.

 

"We made it clear that we believe school-based clinics are the most efficient and effective way to provide equitable vaccinations to 5- to 11-year-olds," Schrader said, and that the state needs to maintain momentum as holidays and colder weather approach.

 

Sen. Jim Rosapepe (D-Prince George's and Anne Arundel), who serves on the Senate Vaccine Oversight Workgroup, said to Capital News Service that he expects the first 20% or 30% of younger children to get vaccinated quickly since a majority of adults from all ethnic groups have gotten the vaccine.

 

Kent County saw a supply dip from the first to the second week, but its health officer, Bill Webb, said to give the situation two months, when he expects there will be "more than enough [doses] in the community for everyone who wants it."

 

Webb said the supply is similar to that of the beginning of adult vaccine roll-out in Kent County.

 

A portion of a jurisdiction’s vaccine doses are allocated according to its population relative to the rest of the state.

 

"Five or six months down the road, we had vaccinated all who wanted it and had a supply of inventory to work on promoting vaccinations. I'm fairly confident this will play out the exact same way," Webb said in a phone call.

 

Kent County increased its seven-day average for first doses of all ages by 133% to about 20 daily vaccinations the first week of 5- to 11-year-old eligibility, according to the latest available Maryland Department of Health data.

 

Despite a small population of only about 19,000 residents, the Eastern Shore county has 63,000 first doses for all ages in the books per 100,000 residents since the beginning of the pandemic, ranking fourth in the state. The state average is 56,700 cumulative first doses per 100,000 residents.

 

As of Friday, Kent County completed one school-based clinic at each of its three public elementary schools, and at one of its four private elementary schools.

 

Vaccine is delivered in containers of 100 doses, Webb said, which is still too much for Kent County's limited number of primary care providers to use up before the vaccine expires in 31 days in a normal fridge. Instead, doses are transferred from county supplies to physicians when they're needed.

 

Children 5 to 11 years old are only eligible for the Pfizer vaccine and get a third the dose of an adult. Like adults, they get two vaccinations, three weeks apart. Webb compared the dosage of vaccine for younger kids to an 8-ounce soda versus a 20-ounce soda for adults.

 

Webb called 5- to 11-year-olds the last group that is more mobile and more easily able to spread the virus, and said that vaccinating them will help keep kids in school, reduce quarantining and cut back on isolation events.

 

"I'm keeping my fingers crossed that if we do well with this last group, we can put COVID-19 into the history books," Webb said.

 

 

Capital News Service is a student-powered news organization run by the University of Maryland Philip Merrill College of Journalism. For 26 years, they have provided deeply reported, award-winning coverage of issues of import to Marylanders.

Common Sense for the Eastern Shore

Health of His Constituents is Apparently Not a Priority for Rep. Dr. Andy Harris

By Jan Plotczyk • October 8, 2025
The Republican Congress and President Trump are causing a health care crisis and Democrats are trying to fix it. Passed in July, the GOP budget reconciliation bill is drastically cutting health insurance programs to pay for tax cuts for billionaires. Rep. Andrew P. Harris (R-MD01) voted for the budget reconciliation bill. He voted, knowing that his vote would mean that health care costs would rise for 25,000 of his constituents in Maryland’s First Congressional District:

Judge Denies Trump Administration’s Attempt to Stall Maryland Offshore Wind Case Amid Federal Shutdown

By CSES Staff • October 8, 2025
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Should We Pin Our Hopes on Mid-Cycle Redistricting in MD-01?

By Jan Plotczyk • October 8, 2025
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Megan Outten Kicks Off Wicomico County Council District 7 Campaign with Packed Crowd and Strong Early Momentum

By CSES Staff • October 8, 2025
With standing room only at Salisbury’s Historic Poplar Hill Mansion, and blending policy, community service, and grassroots energy, Megan Outten launched her campaign for Wicomico County Council District 7 before almost 100 supporters on Oct. 4. The event drew community residents, labor leaders, and local officials, many of whom also helped to pack nearly 300 care kits for Wicomico residents in need. The community service effort doubled as a campaign statement about what Outten calls “choosing connection over convenience.” District 7 is one of Wicomico’s newly drawn single-member districts, with a Democratic advantage of 7.7%. Outten recalled her family’s history of service in Fruitland and Salisbury. “Service isn’t just politics in my family,” she said. “It’s how you belong to a place. It’s how you prove you care.” She pointed to the county’s landfill crisis, water and septic system failures, and school underfunding as examples of leadership that reacts rather than plans. “This is what happens when leaders only react after things break,” she said. “It costs us more. It hurts families. It robs our kids of the future they deserve.” Outten was joined by several local leaders who offered strong endorsements and reflections on her record. AFSCME Local 3 Eastern Shore representative Jack Hughes praised her leadership on the Salisbury City Council, crediting her with helping pass the Eastern Shore’s first municipal labor code, a significant win for city workers and first responders. Councilman Josh Hastings, who represents the district and is running for the Maryland House of Delegates in District 38B, said Outten would be “crucial in carrying forward the progress we’ve made” on clean water, schools, and infrastructure planning. Whitney Snowden-Olanrewaju from Blending Cultures, a non-profit organization that promotes diversity and equality, spoke about Outten’s record of community inclusion and bridge-building across diverse groups. Outten’s campaign is expected to roll out additional endorsements in the coming weeks. In her speech, she outlined a platform focused on fully funding schools, investing in infrastructure before it fails, and ensuring that county government works for everyone. “This campaign is not mine,” she told the crowd. “It’s ours. I am not standing above you. I am standing with you. And together, we will put Wicomico families first.” With enthusiasm, endorsements, and her message that’s focused on service and accountability, Outten’s kickoff reinforced that District 7 is already shaping up to have a strong favorite in 2026.

Community Rallies After Theft of Car Containing Hundreds of Care Kits for Wicomico Residents in Need

By CSES Staff • October 8, 2025
An act of inhumanity in Salisbury has sparked an outpouring of compassion. Early on Oct. 5, community organizer Jared Schablein’s car was stolen from his backyard. Inside the vehicle were hundreds of care kits assembled just days earlier during Megan Outten’s Wicomico County Council District 7 campaign kickoff event. Packed by volunteers at Salisbury’s Poplar Hill Mansion, the kits contained feminine hygiene products, socks, and toiletries meant for Wicomico County residents facing housing insecurity. “Those kits were meant for neighbors in need,” said Schablein. “If nothing else, I hope whoever took them returns them. Getting those care kits to the folks who need them matters more to me than anything else.” Schablein and Outten have turned the theft into action, launching a new effort called the “Care Kits Comeback Drive.” The event, scheduled for Oct. 12 at 2pm at Poplar Hill Mansion, aims to replace every lost kit, and more. Volunteers are asked to bring or donate items such as sanitary wipes, socks, toothpaste, period products, and underwear. Donations will support the Wicomico County Library, Help and Outreach Point of Entry, and other local service organizations. In announcing the new drive, Schablein emphasized the deeper meaning behind the effort: “When acts of inhumanity happen, the best response is acts of humanity. We’re showing that Salisbury’s compassion can’t be stolen.” Despite the setback, organizers say community support has been overwhelming. Donations began arriving within hours of the announcement, and several local groups have offered to distribute supplies once the new kits are complete. The theft is still under investigation by the Salisbury Police Department. As one volunteer put it at the last event, “Community isn’t guaranteed, it’s built.” This Sunday, Salisbury will build it again.

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By CSES Staff • October 8, 2025
What began as a grassroots campaign to preserve a parcel of local land has become one of the most inspiring community movements on the Eastern Shore. Led by residents James and Mikele Dahlen and Holly Campbell, alongside dozens of volunteers, the Save Connelly Mill Park effort reached a significant milestone last week as Maryland Secretary of Natural Resources Josh Kurtz toured the site with local and state officials to explore opportunities for partnership and permanent protection. On Sept. 23, citizens gathered at Connelly Mill Park with a delegation of state and county leaders, including Sen. Mary Beth Carozza, Del. Barry Beauchamp, County Council President John Cannon, Vice President Jeff Merritt, Councilman James Winn, and local municipal representatives from Delmar and Salisbury. The tour marked the strongest signal to date that the state may play an active role in turning the park’s long-promised vision into reality. Advocates for Save Connelly Mill Park presented Kurtz with a booklet outlining the site’s environmental, historical, and economic importance. The presentation highlighted Connelly Mill’s potential to become a keystone of Wicomico’s park system — protecting the Paleochannel aquifer, preserving wildlife habitats, and providing much-needed green space for recreation and community gathering. Located just five miles from Salisbury, the 234-acre property has rolling forest, wetlands, and unique topography that advocates say could one day make it the “Central Park of Wicomico County.” “The natural beauty of Connelly Mill spoke for itself,” said one organizer after the event. “What we have here is not just land, it’s a promise to future generations.” Adding to the momentum, the community’s advocacy materials were presented directly to Maryland Gov. Wes Moore the next day at the Tawes Crab and Clam Bake in Crisfield, where he was briefed on the citizens’ efforts and growing local support. The proposed park would provide walking trails, open space for families, and educational opportunities while safeguarding vital water resources and promoting mental, physical, and social well-being for county residents. For many, the movement to save Connelly Mill has come to represent more than just one park. It’s about accountability, long-term planning, and ensuring public commitments to community spaces are kept. “We’re not out of the woods yet,” the group shared in a recent update. “But the spotlight is on Connelly Mill, and the momentum is growing.” As the state evaluates whether to designate Connelly Mill as a Partnership Park, supporters say they will continue to meet with officials and rally community engagement to ensure this once-forgotten project finally fulfills its promise. If realized, Connelly Mill would not only protect vital natural resources — it would stand as testament to what determined citizens can build when they refuse to give up.
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