ANNAPOLIS, Md.- Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan held a press conference Thursday afternoon to address COVID-19 vaccinations in response to confusion over booster shot eligibility.
“If you are confused about boosters, you are not alone,” said Hogan.
Hogan strongly encouraged Marylanders who are eligible to immediately get their booster shot.
According to Hogan, Maryland health officials and their state team have spent the last several months building the infrastructure for a statewide operation for boosters.
The governor also directed state health officials to work closely with pediatricians, school systems, and local health departments to advance their operation plans for vaccinating 5 to 11 year-olds. This week, Pfizer submitted data to the FDA showing that its vaccination is safe and effective for children, and approval is expected by the end of October.
Regarding testing, for the current school year, the Hogan administration has provided $182 million to local school systems for surveillance testing of the student population.
Hogan also announced that he will introduce emergency legislation to maximize the ability of state hospitals to increase their nursing workforce. This legislation would make permanent a number of the steps the governor announced last week to mitigate staffing shortages.