{"id":5635,"date":"2021-03-19T23:22:33","date_gmt":"2021-03-19T23:22:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/ng\/?p=5635"},"modified":"2021-03-20T11:46:48","modified_gmt":"2021-03-20T11:46:48","slug":"vaccination-effort-makes-waves-on-mds-eastern-shore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/ng\/2021\/03\/19\/vaccination-effort-makes-waves-on-mds-eastern-shore\/","title":{"rendered":"Vaccination Effort Makes Waves on MD’s Eastern Shore"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Sgt. 1st Class Thaddeus Harrington, Maryland Public Affairs Office<\/sup><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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With the assistance of the Maryland National Guard, the fifth mass vaccination site in the state at the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center in Salisbury, opened on March 18, 2021, to administer COVID-19 vaccinations to residents. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This site is unique among the others in Maryland, as it is a hybrid, offering both drive-thru for those with accessibility needs and an indoor walk-in service. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the second day open, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan visited the site. The opening was considered a soft opening, with a vaccination capacity goal of around 500 people a day initially, with plans to be over 2,500 a day by April 1. At maximum capacity, this site would be able to vaccinate around 6,000 a day.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Mark O\u2019Neill, site director at the mass vaccination site at the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center in Salisbury, Maryland.<\/sub><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cWe have an exceptionally collaborative team at this location and everyone is totally mission focused,\u201d said Mark O\u2019Neill, site director and former lieutenant commander in the U.S. Naval Reserve Medical Service Corps. \u201cWe’re all working together. It’s a \u2018what can I do to help you, how can I be helpful?\u2019 culture here and that has made all the difference.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Nearly 50 Soldiers from the 115th Military Police Battalion plus a MDNG Mobile Vaccination Support Team, are helping the vaccination efforts at the site.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Soldiers at this site are coordinating the flow of traffic through the three-tent drive-thru setup outside and are the first faces residents see when walking inside to get vaccinated. The MVST is administering the vaccine as well providing medical, administrative, and logistics support to the site. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Most of these Soldiers live in Western Maryland and many have supported the inauguration mission in Washington D.C.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      2nd Lt. Camille Caston who is participating in her first COVID-19 vaccination support mission.<\/em><\/sub><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      Although not the same kind of work in D.C., U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Camille Caston, a Fredrick native and a civilian counselor for adults with mental illnesses, is on her first COVID-19 vaccination support mission.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \u201cI attribute that [collaborative spirit] to the experiences that they’ve had at previous locations,\u201d said O\u2019Neill. \u201cPeople are coming in, well-trained and with a tremendous willingness to do what it takes to put this [site] together, to be helpful, find ways to win, find ways to solve problems, creatively and innovatively.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Caston, who\u2019s planning a future as a police officer, mentioned that she wanted to become a cop since high school. \u201cI just love the energy of [police officers work], the fast pace, and helping people,\u201d she added.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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