
COVID-19 Vaccine
Vaccines are here to help protect against serious illness from COVID-19. Due to limited initial supply, health care workers, first responders, and residents and staff of long-term care facilities will be the first to receive the vaccine. Supplies will continually increase in the weeks and months that follow.
Maryland COVID-19 vaccine priority groups
Maryland will distribute the vaccines to five different priority groups based on relative risk of exposure or developing serious illness.
WE ARE IN PHASE 1A:
- Front line hospital staff and healthcare workers
- Nursing home residents and staff
- Law enforcement and firefighters, EMS
- All licensed, registered and certified health care providers
- Correctional health care staff and officers
- Front line judiciary staff
Timeline: Ongoing
Total: 500,000+

Phase 1A
Health care workers
Residents and staff of nursing homes
First responders, public safety, corrections
*Maryland is currently in this stage
Phase 1B
Assisted living, other congregate settings
Adults age 75 and older
Education and continuity of government
Phase 1C
Adults age 65-74
Essential workers in lab services, agriculture, manufacturing, postal service, etc
Phase 2
Adults 16-64 at increased risk of severe COVID-19 illness due to comorbidities
Essential workers in critical utilities, transportation, food service, etc
Phase 3
General population, including healthy adults age 16-64
Vaccine prioritization may be subject to change. The state has adopted a rolling vaccine allocation model, meaning it may not wait for every member of a particular group to get vaccinated before moving ahead; individuals will still have the opportunity to be vaccinated in subsequent phases.
What are the vaccines?
Vaccines | Status | Dosing | Efficacy | Potential Side Effects |
---|---|---|---|---|
Pfizer | Vaccine has been authorized for emergency use | Two doses, delivered three weeks apart | 95% effective at preventing serious illness | Injection-site pain, fatigue, headaches, chills |
Moderna | Vaccine has been authorized for emergency use | Two doses, delivered four weeks apart | 94.1% effective at preventing serious illness | Injection-site pain, fatigue, muscle aches, joint pain, headaches, chills |
AstraZeneca | Vaccine trials are ongoing | Two doses, delivered four weeks apart
NOTE: A half-dose may be recommended for the first dose. |
– | Fever, muscle ache, headache, injection-site pain |
Why should you get the vaccine?

Protective
It helps to protect you and those around you from COVID-19.

Promising results
Early clinical trials show the vaccines are highly effective in preventing serious illness.

Pandemic-ending
These vaccines are the path forward to ending the COVID-19 pandemic.

Minimal side effects
Most of the participants in clinical trials had minimal side effects. The most common were soreness at injection site, fever, or body aches.
Keep On, Maryland
As we proceed with vaccinating the public, we all must keep on slowing the spread of COVID-19.
Keep on wearing your mask, watching your distance and washing your hands. You should get tested and quarantine if you expect exposure or show symptoms.

Resources about the COVID vaccine
The resources on this page will evolve as the Maryland vaccination effort moves forward.
Please check back regularly for information and updates.
Maryland’s Phased COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution
Allocation to Arms – Vaccine Distribution Timeline for Providers
Maryland COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Sheet – English
Maryland COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Sheet – Spanish
Maryland COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Sheet – Simplified Chinese
Maryland COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Sheet – Traditional Chinese
Maryland COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Sheet – French (AF)
Maryland COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Sheet – Creole
Maryland COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Sheet – Korean
About the Vaccines – English
About the Vaccines – Spanish
About the Vaccines – Simplified Chinese
About the Vaccines – Traditional Chinese
About the Vaccines – French (AF)
About the Vaccines – Creole
About the Vaccines – Korean
COVID-19 Clinical Trials Fact Sheet – English
COVID-19 Clinical Trials Fact Sheet – Spanish
COVID-19 Clinical Trials Fact Sheet – Simplified Chinese
COVID-19 Clinical Trials Fact Sheet – Traditional Chinese
COVID-19 Clinical Trials Fact Sheet – French (AF)
COVID-19 Clinical Trials Fact Sheet – Creole
COVID-19 Clinical Trials Fact Sheet – Korean