The leaders of Maryland’s two largest predominantly Black jurisdictions -- Baltimore City and Prince George’s County -- demanded a more equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine at a joint hearing Wednesday.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said the state has fundamentally ignored the barriers Black and Brown communities face getting the vaccine, and said the city needs more doses.
“Despite statements otherwise, the residents of Baltimore City are both entitled to and deserve the vaccine,” Scott said.
On Tuesday, Gov. Larry Hogan defended claims he made last week that Baltimore had gotten more vaccines than it was entitled to. He said the city, a jurisdiction with the fourth highest population in the state, had gotten the largest number of vaccine doses.
But state records show that most of those doses have gone to non-city residents. The data also shows that white Marylanders are getting vaccinated at four times the rate as Black Marylanders.
Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks said all Marylanders deserve the vaccine as tax-paying residents.
“We haven’t shown up today to beg anybody for anything,” Alsobrooks said. “We’re asking for what we already paid for.”
Prince George’s continues to have the lowest vaccination rate in the state. As of Wednesday, 8.586% of residents have received a first dose, and 3.787% have received a second dose.
