Anne Arundel mass vaccination site expected to open for first shots Thursday, 4/15/: Free rides available

Glen
Burnie and Fort Meade-area residents are eligible to receive free and
discounted transportation, including trips
to get vaccinated at the mass vaccination site at the Navy-Marine
Corps mass vaccination site, which is scheduled to begin Thursday,
April 15.

"The way it would work is you would call up, preferably a day ahead of time or a couple days," said Anne Arundel County Transportation Officer Ramond Robinson.

It's a bit different than other transportation department programs.

"We'll set up the ride and do it in batches," he said. "It's a shared ride. It's more efficient."

He said he expects a fairly steady number of users of the service. 

County
Executive Steuart Pittman and Mayor Gavin Buckley announced Tuesday
a collaborative effort to ensure county residents can access
transportation to the
vaccination site.

Residents
may also utilize the Office of Transportation’s AA-Gold College
Parkway service route to access the Rowe Boulevard / Taylor Avenue
stop by the Navy Stadium to reach the mass vaccination site. This
service is free of charge, as all fees have been waived during the
pandemic. Information on route stops and hours is available on the
Office
of Transportation’s webpage.

"Anne
Arundel County has prioritized our most vulnerable residents
throughout the vaccination rollout, and we will continue to do so at
the new mass vaccination site by providing free, convenient
transportation options for our residents,” said County Executive
Pittman.

“We
won’t allow transportation barriers to stand in the way of anyone
getting vaccinated. Thank you to the Maryland Department of Health,
Anne Arundel County Fire Department, and all our partners for getting
this site ready to start vaccinating residents April 15.”

Anne
Arundel County residents may call the Office of Transportation at
410-222-0225 or 410-222-0047 to access the County Operated Vaccine
Service and schedule a free ride to their vaccination appointment.

Operators
are available to help 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Monday - Friday to help
residents arrange transportation to their appointment at the Navy
Stadium site, or any other vaccination clinic in Anne Arundel County.

“Vaccinating
our most at-risk residents is the key to saving lives and preventing
hospitalizations.” said Health Officer Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman.
“Many of them have limited access to transportation. With the
combination of community clinics and these free transportation
options, we hope everyone will have easier access to get vaccinated.”

Residents
age 55 and older or residents 18 and older with a disability are also
able to use the Department of Aging and Disabilities’ Taxi Voucher
program to schedule transportation to their vaccine appointment. The
Taxi Voucher program offers discounted taxi vouchers with
participating cab companies, each book costs $5 and is worth a value
of $10. For additional details on this program, residents can call
410-222-4222.

“Navy
Stadium is centrally located and a great spot for a mass vaccination
site,” said Mayor Buckley. “But for those without easy access to
transportation options, it might as well be a million miles away.
Simplifying access to this site will help us get as many people
vaccinated as quickly as possible - and help us to get to the other
side of this pandemic.”

Buckley
added that the Navy stadium site gives residents the confidence that
comes with a solid partnership between the U.S. Naval Academy, the
state of Maryland, the County and the City.

The
City of Annapolis will also provide free shuttle bus service from
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays from Navy Marine Corps
Memorial Stadium to Church Circle, connecting residents to major
City-operated transit routes.

"It's challenging times," Robinson said. "The local leadership is making an effort to get residents to the mass-vac sites in a coordinated effort."