Senior Housing Buildings – COVID-19 Vaccinations

With 15 senior housing buildings in the 11th District, I have been working closely with the Baltimore City Health Department to clarify and communicate the vaccination plan for senior buildings.

The Health Department’s Mobile Vaccination Clinic has started the necessary work of vaccinating our seniors in the easiest possible way. While some senior buildings have already been covered by federal, state, and private clinical vaccination programs, the Health Department is working to provide first doses to all of the senior housing buildings by the end of April, hopefully sooner, provided there is enough vaccine supply.

The order of clinic dates is determined by a number of factors, including population density, social vulnerability index, and recent outbreaks. Representatives from the Health Department will be in the building knocking on doors prior to the vaccination date to notify and register residents, but pre-registration is not required to receive the vaccine. All staff members age 18+ and residents over the age of 65 are eligible to receive the vaccine. Second doses appointments – which need to occur roughly one month after the first dose – are scheduled with residents and staff on the day they receive their first dose.

The Health Department is scheduling clinic dates a week at a time, and the timeline will vary as factors such as the allotment of vaccines and guidance provided by the state determines supply and focus. If you have any questions about your specific senior building, please contact your management team.

If you wish to schedule an appointment independent of the above process, go online here: https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/pages/vaccine to find the best location. If there are literacy or internet access issues, please call 410-396-CARE (2273). You should call your primary care doctor and local pharmacy to get scheduled there as well. Finally, the State is recommending that you schedule a vaccination with as many different providers as possible to ensure you get the vaccination and get it as soon as possible.