Covid-19 vaccine eligibility opened this week for Maryland residents over the age of 65, but health officials are asking for patience as the demand outweighs the current supply.

Maryland gets only 10,000 doses per day from the federal government, and will need 4 million doses just to complete Phase 1, Gov. Larry Hogan said during a Tuesday news conference.

“As frustrating as this is for every one of us, this will obviously be a much longer process than any of us would like, and it’s going to require a great deal of patience,” he said.

In a virtual town hall this week, health officials from Wicomico, Somerset and Worcester counties said they cannot keep up with requests for the vaccine.

The state started Phase 1A on Dec. 21 for health care workers and first responders. Phase 1B, which included people age 75 and older as well as other at-risk groups, started on Jan. 18. People ages 65 to 74, postal employees and workers in agriculture are eligible in Phase 1C which started Monday.

“I know that at least for health departments we are struggling to complete all of our Phase 1B requirements,” said Lori Brewster, health officer for Wicomico and Somerset counties.

The state receives a weekly allocation of the vaccine which is then distributed to counties based on a formula. This week, Worcester got only 300 doses, said Rebecca Jones, Worcester County’s health officer.

“We are all limited by the supply,” Jones said.

In addition to local health departments and hospitals, Walmart stores on the Lower Shore are expected to begin offering the vaccine soon. The vaccine also will be available at Rite Aid pharmacies starting next week, Hogan said.

Anyone eligible under Phases 1A, 1B and 1C can search for vaccination sites in their area at marylandvax.org.

Wicomico County residents may email a request to Wicomico.COVIDvax@maryland.gov. The Health Department will then email a link to make an appointment. Family members may assist their relatives register online for an appointment.

Starting Monday, Feb. 1, people of all ages who are undergoing cancer treatment and those with serious underlying health conditions such as end stage renal failure, diabetes and COPD will be eligible for the vaccine through their hospital providers, Hogan said.

While the vaccine is still limited, Hogan said his administration and the Maryland National Guard are putting the infrastructure in place for mass vaccination sites once the supply increases. One site at Six Flags in Prince George’s County is set to open Feb. 5 and another will follow at M&T Stadium in Baltimore once the state gets more doses, he said. Officials are working on locating other sites across the state, including on the Eastern Shore.

For now, vaccinations are by appointment only and slots fill up quickly, Hogan said.

Maryland has distributed 667,275 doses so far. As of Tuesday, 348,026 people have gotten the first dose – an increase of 17,317 from last week -- and 48,635 a second dose, according to the state’s coronavirus website.

In Wicomico County, 8,129 people, or 7.846 percent of the population, have gotten their first dose and 1,430 got a second dose as of Tuesday.

Currently, vaccines developed by Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech have been approved for use in the United States. Both require two doses administered three to four weeks apart. Other vaccines are close to getting Food & Drug Administration approval, including one from Johnson & Johnson that requires only one shot.

The vaccines are safe and effective at preventing serious illness with Covid-19.  There are some mild side effects associated with the vaccines, including injection-site pain, fatigue, fever, muscle aches, headaches and chills.

For more information on Covid-19 and the vaccines, visit coronavirus.maryland.gov.

Case numbers

As of Tuesday, Jan. 26, Wicomico County has had 6,140 confirmed cases of Covid-19 with 123 deaths.

The patient count in Somerset is now 2,200 with 26 deaths. Worcester County reports 2,986 people as having the virus and 76 deaths.

Dorchester County counts 2,009 cases with 30 deaths. There are 1,806 reported cases in Caroline County with 15 deaths.

Statewide in Maryland, 344,620 cases have been confirmed, with 6,788 confirmed deaths and 175 probable deaths. The current hospitalization totals of people with the virus stands at 1,642, with 367 in intensive care.

Across Maryland, more than 2.7 million people have tested negative for the virus.

Nationally, there are now more than 25 million cases with 421,239 deaths.