Maryland Department of Health Maryland Department of Health announces new community-based partnership to enhance statewide vaccination efforts

September 10, 2020

Media Contact:

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

Charlie Gischlar, Deputy Director, Media Relations, 443-463-7234

Maryland Department of Health announces new community-based partnership to enhance statewide vaccination efforts

Baltimore, MD – The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) today announced the Maryland Partnership for Prevention (MPP) as its community partner in an enhanced statewide initiative to promote and facilitate childhood and flu vaccination activities throughout the fall. The effort will also support COVID-19 vaccination activity, in preparation for when a vaccine becomes available.

“It has never been more important to take care of our health and our families by protecting ourselves against preventable disease,” said MDH Secretary Robert R. Neall. “We’re committed to investing in the outreach and logistics necessary to help ensure more Marylanders get vaccinated safely, swiftly and effectively.”

The $1.5 million project is a unique coordinated statewide effort to support all local health departments and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) with technology, staffing and logistical support through PrepMod, a new online resource that will be used to schedule clinics, track equipment needs and report vaccination activity. The effort also includes communications, outreach and vaccination clinics in areas showing the most significant vaccination rate declines, made possible through a Pfizer Foundation grant, announced in July.

“As schools across Maryland begin to reopen, we want to ensure that helping children get up-to-date on their required vaccinations is as convenient and as safe as possible,” said MDH Acting Deputy Secretary of Public Health Dr. Jinlene Chan. “And as we move into flu season and plan for a COVID-19 vaccine, the technical capabilities and depth of experience that MPP has — especially in community-based work — make them an ideal partner to help us quickly operationalize this critical preventive action.”

MPP is the adult immunization coalition for Maryland and is the parent organization of the Maryland Childhood Immunization Partnership (MCIP) and regional immunization coalitions across the state. MDH has previously partnered with MPP to assist with school-based flu and back-to-school immunization clinics. MPP has also worked with a number of local health departments in years past.

Marylanders can visit MD.MyIR.net, a free and secure online portal where users can access official copies of their vaccination records and those of their family members. Families are encouraged to work with health care providers to schedule appointments, to attend well-adult and well-child visits and to get caught up on any overdue vaccinations as soon as possible.

Marylanders can also visit marylandvax.org to schedule an appointment with their local health department’s vaccination clinic.

For the latest updates on COVID-19 in Maryland, 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.

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