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​June 8, 2021
 

Media Contact:

Deidre McCabe, Director, Office of Communications, 410-767-3536

Charles Gischlar, Deputy Director, Office of Communications, 410-767-6491

Maryland Department of Health announces Bob Ehrlich, 60th Governor of Maryland, and Former First Lady of Maryland Kendel Ehrlich as new GoVAX Ambassadors

 Baltimore, MD – The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) announced today the launch of a new public service announcement (PSA) encouraging all Marylanders to protect themselves, their loved ones, and their communities by getting vaccinated. The PSA features Bob Ehrlich, 60th Governor of Maryland, and Kendel Ehrlich, former First Lady of Maryland, adding to the growing list of ambassadors for Maryland’s GoVAX campaign. 


“We are honored to have Bob and Kendel Ehrlich serve as our newest GoVAX Ambassadors,” said MDH Secretary Dennis R. Schrader. “With the help of prominent Marylanders spreading the message, we can continue our mission of vaccinating all eligible Marylanders and finish the job against COVID-19.”
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​"Kendel and I recently chose to vaccinate against COVID-19,” said Gov. Ehrlich in the PSA. “We wanted to do our part to get rid of the need for masks and other restrictions. Everyone deserves to get back to normal,and the best way to get that done is to get vaccinated.” 

Ehrlich served as Maryland’s governor from January 15, 2003 to January 17, 2007. He is currently senior counsel at the Government Advocacy practice of King & Spalding, where he advises clients on a broad array of policy matters and their interactions with the federal government. Gov. and Mrs. Ehrlich recently started their own podcast, Bottom Line with Bob and Kendel Ehrlich.


The Ehrlichs join a prominent list of GoVAX Ambassadors, including:

  • Governor Larry Hogan and First Lady Yumi Hogan
  • Lt. Governor Boyd K. Rutherford
  • 20th U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams
  • UMBC President Dr. Freeman Hrabowski and Retired Vice President of T. Rowe Price Jacqueline C. Hrabowski
  • Brigadier General Janeen Birckhead, Maryland National Guard and Head of the Maryland Vaccine Equity Task Force
  • Dr. Kizzmekia S. Corbett, Viral Immunologist, Vaccine Research Center, NIH, NIAID 
The Ehrlichs’ PSA begins airing this week on television and will soon debut on radio. MDH has continued to add GoVAX Ambassadors throughout the campaign to encourage all Marylanders to be vaccinated against COVID-19.


The GoVAX campaign features testimonials and events with first responders, religious leaders, sports figures, research scientists, health officers, elected officials, healthcare providers, and others, sharing their personal stories about getting vaccinated to encourage others to do the same.

To date, Maryland has reported more than 6.3 million vaccinations administered, and the state has vaccinated 71.1% of adults.  


For more information about COVID-19 vaccines in Maryland—including GoVAX campaign media, vaccine resources, fact sheets, and FAQs—visit covidLINK.maryland.gov.


For the most recent Maryland COVID-19 vaccine data, visit coronavirus.maryland.gov.

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The Maryland Department of Health is dedicated to protecting and improving the health and safety of all Marylanders through disease prevention, access to care, quality management and community engagement.