QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTY, Md. — As Maryland ramps up vaccine distribution, one organization filed a lawsuit against six localities.
The ARC Maryland, which deals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, filed claims against Talbot, Somerset, Queen Anne's, Garrett and Carroll counties along with Baltimore City.
Intellectual and developmentally disabled people, IDD, are in phase 1B, which the state is passed now. The suit ranges from how websites are designed to "the risk of serious harm, including death, due to the defendant's discriminatory actions."
Chris Corchiarino is the President of the Queen Anne's Board of Commissioners. He and the other commissioners in the county were surprised by this lawsuit. Corchiarino tells me the county has not received any complaints from the IDD community in his county.
"That's a pretty serious allegation and the health care workers here that take an oath to do no harm, that is really hurtful to them," Corchiarino said.
Queen Anne's County, like some of the other jurisdictions, said they did not even receive a phone call from ARC for clarification on the website information.
"I think it's unfortunate we're in a position now where people are quick to use the keyboard to fire complaints off about people Instead of engaging in a conversation before hand and that's what the ARC did hear and that's the unfortunate part."
Commissioner Corchiarino says a lawsuit like this actually takes away the process of getting vaccines to the public.
"But, when we then have to take resources away from a small government, take resources away to address this, instead of just having to respond to a phone call It does take away from other aspects were doing to try to fight COVID."
Queen Anne's is large in mass and small in the number of people and Corchiarino says they take pride in serving county residents. With 50,000 residents in Queen Anne's County and an allotment of about 400 vaccines a week, the commissioner says they are doing everything they can to take care everyone.
"We're getting to as many of the people in need as we can."
