The number of new COVID-19 cases has steadily dropped in recent weeks and vaccination rates have climbed. But a stubborn issue persists: Why hasn't the racial gap in vaccination rates closed more quickly?|| COVID-19 updates | Maryland's latest numbers | Get tested | Vaccine Info ||It has been nearly two weeks since the state started to use the Maryalnd Lottery to boost COVID-19 vaccinations with $40,000 a day awarded to a vaccinated person whose name is drawn.Maryland online vaccination site locatorVaccine Data DashboardMaryland vaccination plan FAQsIn northwest Baltimore, Marvin Dunn has a different incentive to get vaccinated -- spending time with his children."I plan to be around them a lot, and by them not being able to get vaccinated, I don't want to mess around and give it to them," Dunn said.Dunn and other residents of Baltimore are now having an easier time getting vaccinated. Small pop-up sites and mobile sites have been added to the larger mass vaccination sites and pharmacies."I just walked up, got it. Waited 15 minutes and I'm out," said Robin Golden.It has been nearly three months since the governor formed the Maryland Vaccine Equity Task Force, headed by National Guard Brig. Gen. Janeen Birckhead, intended to close the racial gap that had opened in the rate of vaccination. Since then, the rate of vaccination of Black people has increased, but in recent weeks, it has flattened out.Black people make up 31.1% of the state's population. They made up just 14.6% of fully vaccinated people on March 5. By May 5, that number had climbed to 21.14%, but it has barely budged since. By Thursday, the number of fully vaccinated people in Maryland who are Black was at 21.84%."We know our populations can be harder to reach. We know that our populations need support with access and transportation," Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Letitia Dzirasa said.In Baltimore City -- which has the largest portion of Black residents in the state -- Dzirasa suspects the early rules for vaccine eligibility limited the reach to minority populations."Some of it is related to who was eligible in the beginning, right? It was focused on health-care workers, on certain professions, so that could have skewed the data," Dzirasa said.The mass vaccination sites have also been harder to access for people dependent on public transportation. Thus, the city has turned to pop-up sites offered several times per week, concentrated in east and west Baltimore. Hesitancy seems to ease when access improves."I just wanted to get vaccinated because I didn't want to get it. Long story short, I got a daughter, a family, so I can't afford to get COVID," said Tatyana Parker."I just haven't had the time, but I have to for the job I just started working, so Monday, I am going to get vaccinated," said Nevah Brooks.Surrounding jurisdictions also see an equity gap. In Howard County, Black people make up 19.9% of the population, but 7.8% of them are fully vaccinated. In Baltimore County, Black people make up 30.3% of the population, but 18.6% of them are fully vaccinated. And in Baltimore City, Black people make up 62.7% of the population and 43.6% of them are fully vaccinated.The health commissioner warns about what could be ahead if higher vaccination levels aren't reached."I think that's my big concern. This time in the fall, if we haven't vaccinated enough people, if we are still not able to vaccinate enough children, we could see resurgences in the fall. And we know (in the) fall, people move back indoors, it's a lot cooler, so that's definitely a concern. Do we see resurgences of COVID come fall, winter, when people move back indoors if not enough people are vaccinated," Dzirasa said.