The Landover Vaccine Equity Response Site

By Spc. Tyrell Boyd, Maryland Public Affairs Office

After several months of planning, members from the Maryland Vaccine Equity Task Force, a community-based testing team from the Maryland Department of Health and the Maryland National Guard, opened a new testing site at the City of Praise Family Ministries in Landover, Maryland, in early April. The site had a capacity of nearly 400 COVID-19 tests per day. 

While this site was originally planned to only provide COVID-19 testing, it briefly provided vaccinations and is providing new treatment methods like monoclonal antibody infusion treatment, making the Landover site one of the few comprehensive COVID-19 response sites in Maryland. 

Monoclonal infusions have already shown to improve recovery. The antibodies in the infusion block the virus that causes COVID-19 from attaching to cells, making it more difficult for the virus to reproduce and cause harm. Patients are able to receive this treatment shortly after they test positive for COVID-19, before symptoms worsen, at the field site, set up by FirstCall, at the Baltimore Convention Center. A doctor’s referral is preferred but not required to receive the treatment.  

Maryland Vaccine Equity Task Force aims to provide COVID-19 related medical services and assistance to under-served communities. 

Sgt. Ashley Akaragwe, a member of the 29th Combat Aviation Brigade’s 1297th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, is a Landover resident and former teacher at G. James Gholson Middle in Prince George’s County, Maryland. She worked with the logistics and coordination of resources on this site since it opened. 

“I hope that with testing, that vaccinations will increase, and positive tests will begin to decrease in the community,” said Akaragwe who is serving the residents of her own community. “I think this is a very good opportunity for me as a Soldier to actively serve.” 

Personnel at the site take the necessary precautions to ensure every supporting member wears the necessary personal protective equipment, are trained to provide the proper swabbing procedures of their patients, and maintain social distancing policies. 

“The nurses [helped] train [me] and the other Soldiers after their initial briefing, they taught us all the swabbing techniques,” said Spc. Rahsaan Johnson, an automated logistical specialist with the 1297th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, who enjoys working alongside Maryland Department of Health personnel. “We actually tested ourselves in their presence the first time, so they taught me a lot.”