Per the State or Maryland:
Booster Shots With Added Protection Now Available At More Than 850 Pharmacies, Clinics, and Local Health Departments Statewide

State Ramps Up Call- and Text-Based Outreach, Will Launch “Fall Checklist” PSAs to Encourage Marylanders to Get Booster and Flu Shot Simultaneously
Governor, First Lady, and Health Secretary Receive New Bivalent Booster

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On Wednesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration  authorized the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech Bivalent COVID-19 vaccines to be used as a booster dose. According to the FDA, these vaccines “include an mRNA component of the original strain to provide an immune response that is broadly protective against COVID-19 and an mRNA component in common between the omicron variant BA.4 and BA.5 lineages to provide better protection against COVID-19 caused by the omicron variant.”

Regarding availability in Montgomery County, the Department of Health and Human Services tweeted: “Once the vaccines receive final approval from @CDCgov, we must wait for vaccine supply and written guidance from @MDHealthDept. We will keep you posted.”

Per the FDA:
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration amended the emergency use authorizations (EUAs) of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine to authorize bivalent formulations of the vaccines for use as a single booster dose at least two months following primary or booster vaccination. The bivalent vaccines, which we will also refer to as “updated boosters,” contain two messenger RNA (mRNA) components of SARS-CoV-2 virus, one of the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 and the other one in common between the BA.4 and BA.5 lineages of the omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2.

The Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent, is authorized for use as a single booster dose in individuals 18 years of age and older. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent, is authorized for use as a single booster dose in individuals 12 years of age and older.

The monovalent COVID-19 vaccines that are authorized or approved by the FDA and have been administered to millions of people in the United States since December 2020 contain a component from the original strain of SARS-CoV-2.

What you need to know:

• The authorized bivalent COVID-19 vaccines, or updated boosters, include an mRNA component of the original strain to provide an immune response that is broadly protective against COVID-19 and an mRNA component in common between the omicron variant BA.4 and BA.5 lineages to provide better protection against COVID-19 caused by the omicron variant.
• The BA.4 and BA.5 lineages of the omicron variant are currently causing most cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. and are predicted to circulate this fall and winter. In June, the agency’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee voted overwhelmingly to include an omicron component in COVID-19 booster vaccines.
• For each bivalent COVID-19 vaccine, the FDA based its decision on the totality of available evidence, including extensive safety and effectiveness data for each of the monovalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, safety and immunogenicity data obtained from a clinical study of a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine that contained mRNA from omicron variant BA.1 lineage that is similar to each of the vaccines being authorized, and nonclinical data obtained using a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine that contained mRNA of the original strain and mRNA in common between the BA.4 and BA.5 lineages of the omicron variant.
• Based on the data supporting each of these authorizations, the bivalent COVID-19 vaccines are expected to provide increased protection against the currently circulating omicron variant. Individuals who receive a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine may experience side effects commonly reported by individuals who receive authorized or approved monovalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.
• With today’s authorization, the monovalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are not authorized as booster doses for individuals 12 years of age and older.
• The agency will work quickly to evaluate future data and submissions to support authorization of bivalent COVID-19 boosters for additional age groups as we receive them.

Who is eligible to receive a single booster dose and when:

• Individuals 18 years of age and older are eligible for a single booster dose of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent if it has been at least two months since they have completed primary vaccination or have received the most recent booster dose with any authorized or approved monovalent COVID-19 vaccine.
• Individuals 12 years of age and older are eligible for a single booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent if it has been at least two months since they have completed primary vaccination or have received the most recent booster dose with any authorized or approved monovalent COVID-19 vaccine.

“The COVID-19 vaccines, including boosters, continue to save countless lives and prevent the most serious outcomes (hospitalization and death) of COVID-19,” said FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, M.D. “As we head into fall and begin to spend more time indoors, we strongly encourage anyone who is eligible to consider receiving a booster dose with a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine to provide better protection against currently circulating variants.”

The Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent and the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent contain mRNA from the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The mRNA in these vaccines is a specific piece of genetic material that instructs cells in the body to make the distinctive “spike” protein of the original virus strain and the omicron variant lineages BA.4 and BA.5. The spike proteins of BA.4 and BA.5 are identical.

“The FDA has been planning for the possibility that the composition of the COVID-19 vaccines would need to be modified to address circulating variants. We sought input from our outside experts on the inclusion of an omicron component in COVID-19 boosters to provide better protection against COVID-19. We have worked closely with the vaccine manufacturers to ensure the development of these updated boosters was done safely and efficiently. The FDA has extensive experience with strain changes for annual influenza vaccines. We are confident in the evidence supporting these authorizations,” said Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. “The public can be assured that a great deal of care has been taken by the FDA to ensure that these bivalent COVID-19 vaccines meet our rigorous safety, effectiveness and manufacturing quality standards for emergency use authorization.”

For each of the bivalent COVID-19 vaccines authorized today, the FDA evaluated immunogenicity and safety data from a clinical study of a booster dose of a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine that contained a component of the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 and a component of omicron lineage BA.1. The FDA considers such data as relevant and supportive of vaccines containing a component of the omicron variant BA.4 and BA.5 lineages. Furthermore, data pertaining to the safety and effectiveness of the current mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, which have been administered to millions of people, including during the omicron waves of COVID-19, contributed to the agency’s evaluation.

Data Supporting the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent Authorization

To evaluate the effectiveness of a single booster dose of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent for individuals 18 years of age and older, the FDA analyzed immune response data among approximately 600 individuals 18 years of age and older who had previously received a two-dose primary series and one booster dose of monovalent Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine. These participants received a second booster dose of either the monovalent Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine or Moderna’s investigational bivalent COVID-19 vaccine (original and omicron BA.1) at least 3 months after the first booster dose. After 28 days, the immune response against BA.1 of the participants who received the bivalent vaccine was better than the immune response of those who had received the monovalent Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine.

The safety of a single booster dose of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent for individuals 18 years of age and older is supported by safety data from a clinical study which evaluated a booster dose of Moderna’s investigational bivalent COVID-19 vaccine (original and omicron BA.1), safety data from clinical trials which evaluated primary and booster vaccination with the monovalent Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, and postmarketing safety data with the monovalent Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine.

The safety data accrued with the bivalent vaccine (original and omicron BA.1) and with the monovalent Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine are relevant to the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent because these vaccines are manufactured using the same process.

The clinical study that evaluated the safety of a booster dose of the bivalent vaccine (original and omicron BA.1) included approximately 800 participants 18 years of age and older who had previously received a two dose primary series and one booster dose of the monovalent Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, and then at least 3 months later, received a second booster dose with either the monovalent Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine or Moderna’s investigational bivalent COVID-19 vaccine (original and omicron BA.1).

Among the study participants who received the bivalent vaccine, the most commonly reported side effects included pain, redness and swelling at the injection site, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, joint pain, chills, swelling of the lymph nodes in the same arm of the injection, nausea/vomiting and fever.

Data Supporting the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent Authorization

To evaluate the effectiveness of a single booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent for individuals 12 years of age and older, the FDA analyzed immune response data among approximately 600 adults greater than 55 years of age who had previously received a 2-dose primary series and one booster dose with the monovalent Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine. These participants received a second booster dose of either the monovalent Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine or Pfizer-BioNTech’s investigational bivalent COVID-19 vaccine (original and omicron BA.1) 4.7 to 13.1 months after the first booster dose. After one month, the immune response against BA.1 of the participants who received the bivalent vaccine was better than the immune response of those who had received the monovalent Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine.

The safety of a single booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent for individuals 12 years of age and older is based on safety data from a clinical study which evaluated a booster dose of Pfizer-BioNTech’s investigational bivalent COVID-19 vaccine (original and omicron BA.1), safety data from clinical trials which evaluated primary and booster vaccination with the monovalent Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, and postmarketing safety data with the monovalent Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine.

The safety data accrued with the bivalent vaccine (original and omicron BA.1) and with the monovalent Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine are relevant to Pfizer-BioNTech COVID 19 Vaccine, Bivalent because these vaccines are manufactured using the same process.

The clinical study that evaluated the safety of a booster dose of the bivalent vaccine (original and omicron BA.1) included approximately 600 participants greater than 55 years of age who had previously received a 2-dose primary series, one booster dose of the monovalent Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, and then 4.7 to 13.1 months later, received a second booster dose of either the monovalent Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine or Pfizer-BioNTech’s investigational bivalent COVID-19 vaccine (original and omicron BA.1). Among the study participants who received the bivalent vaccine, the most commonly reported side effects included pain, redness and swelling at the injection site, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, and fever.

The fact sheets for both bivalent COVID-19 vaccines for recipients and caregivers and for healthcare providers include information about the potential side effects, as well as the risks of myocarditis and pericarditis.

With today’s authorization, the FDA has also revised the EUA of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine to remove the use of the monovalent Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines for booster administration for individuals 18 years of age and older and 12 years of age and older, respectively. These monovalent vaccines continue to be authorized for use for administration of a primary series for individuals 6 months of age and older as described in the letters of authorization. At this time, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine remains authorized for administration of a single booster dose for individuals 5 through 11 years of age at least five months after completing a primary series of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine.

The amendments to the EUAs were issued to Moderna TX Inc. and Pfizer Inc.

Montgomery County Public schools sent out the following community message from MCPS Medical Officer Patricia Kapunan, M.D. on Thursday, August 25:

Dear MCPS Community,
We are so excited to be back together next week for the new school year! As we return to shared spaces, the health and wellness of our students and staff remains a top priority. We have more tools, experience and knowledge than ever to help reduce the impact of COVID-19 in our school community. Here are some important things to know about vaccination, testing and masking as staff and students return to school:

COVID-19 Vaccination Helps Our School Community

Vaccines are an important way to lower individual risk of severe complications from COVID-19 infection. A high vaccine coverage rate helps reduce the overall burden of COVID-19 on the school community and helps keep learning going, as individuals with milder symptoms will miss fewer school or work days. We continue to strongly recommend students receive all recommended COVID-19 vaccines and boosters for which they are eligible. At this time, COVID-19 vaccination is required for staff unless approved for a medical exemption. We will continue to provide opportunities for students, staff and family members to receive COVID-19 vaccines atafter-school and weekend events.

Rapid Testing for COVID-19 for a Strong School Year Start

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is encouraging at-home rapid testing for COVID-19 as staff and students return to school. Testing is an important way to identify individuals actively positive for COVID-19 who should temporarily isolate in order to prevent further transmission and keep our school community as healthy as possible.

End-of-summer activities, such as returning from travel or getting together with larger groups, can increase the risk of exposure to COVID-19. Staff and students may consider testing even after school begins, following Labor Day holiday travel or after higher-risk social events that may coincide with the start of the school year. Testing is not mandatory. We are depending on our staff and families to consider their exposure risk, and test and report positive results accordingly.

Test kits will be available at schools, at the MCPS Annual Back-to-School Fair on Aug. 27, and upcoming school-based weekend vaccination clinics on Aug. 27 and Aug. 28. Free rapid test kits are also available to Montgomery County residents at most public library locations, or by mail for home delivery from the U.S. government. Only positive test results need to be reported using theMCPS COVID-19 Reporting Form. Individuals who have a positive COVID-19 test should report their positive result and follow CDC guidelines for isolation.

Masking

As of today, the CDC COVID-19 Community Risk Level for Montgomery County is “low.”  At this time, masking is not mandatory in MCPS buildings or buses in most situations. Health room staff actively engaged in patient care or anyone assisting with medical procedures must follow infection control guidelines from the DHHS and the CDC, including wearing a mask when required.

In addition, masking may be temporarily required for individuals or groups, in certain circumstances:

• A student develops symptoms of COVID-19 during the school day and presents to the health room for evaluation
• A student has tested positive at school for COVID-19 and is awaiting pick-up
• In outbreak situations, as an alternative to quarantine for exposed individuals who do not have symptoms of COVID-19
• For students or staff recovering from COVID-19 who have completed at least five full days of isolation, and feel well enough to return to school or work.

Recommendations and requirements for masking can be expected to change during the school year, as COVID-19 data trends and science change. For individuals who cannot safely mask, other prevention measures will be used.

Please remember that all staff and students are supported in their decision to wear a mask for individual protection, at any risk level.  MCPS will continue to provide masks for staff and students for use during the school day.

The new school year is just around the corner! Let’s work together to keep our school community well, as we return with excitement, renewed purpose and joy.

Sincerely,

Patricia Kapunan, M.D.
MCPS Medical Officer

Prince George’s County Public Schools released the following statement on Friday, August 12:
Mask Policy Update: 
In light of the highly contagious COVID-19 BA.5 variant,
Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) will return to a mandatory mask policy in all schools and facilities until further notice, effective Monday, August 15. This decision was recommended by the Prince George’s County Health Department.

When responding to public health threats such as COVID-19, Maryland school districts have flexibility in determining mask-wearing policies. In July, PGCPS transitioned from mandatory mask-wearing to a mask-optional policy for the first time since the onset of the pandemic.

 

Per Montgomery County:
For Immediate Release: Tuesday, July 12, 2022
Health officials today released the COVID-19 Epidemiology Surveillance Report for Montgomery County.  The report, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Montgomery County, Maryland 2020-2022, highlights disease burden of COVID-19 among residents, details how Montgomery County compares to the State and the U.S., and details how the County’s Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) programs respond to the pandemic.

The report provides statistics and epidemiology profiles of COVID-19, including infections, testing, hospitalization, deaths, vaccinations, outbreaks and contact tracing. According to the CDC’s COVID-19 community level map, as of March 2022, when the report’s data were last updated, transmission in Montgomery County was in the “low” category.  As of late June, the transmission level in the community is in the “medium” category. This is likely to change as new variants and sub-lineages continue to evolve over time.

“Montgomery County fares better than the State and national averages for most indicators related to COVID-19, but vulnerable population subgroups and communities disproportionally impacted by the pandemic remain a top priority to address through the lens of social determinants,” said acting County Health Officer James Bridgers. “Our goal is to implement the evidence-based and data-driven approaches to enhance our programs and services to respond to the pandemic proactively to meet the public health needs of Montgomery County.”

Key findings of the report include:

• Female residents aged 20 to 34 years, non-Hispanic black residents aged 20 to 24 years, and Hispanic residents aged 20 to 64 have the highest cumulative case rates.
• Test positivity rates were highest for the first and third waves of the pandemic.
• The highest number of monthly positive cases occurred in December 2021 and
  January 2022.
• There have been 2,039 deaths in Montgomery County since the start of the pandemic, with the highest number of monthly deaths occurring in April and May 2020.

It has been a more than two years since the first three cases of COVID-19 in Maryland were confirmed in Montgomery County on March 5, 2020. In addition to the morbidity and mortality associated with the disease, examples of the pandemic’s profound impacts on the community include burnout seen in health workers, remote learning in schools on students, parents, teachers, and businesses having to adapt with workers having to isolate.

The report completes a core function of public health: surveillance and data collection, analysis and interpretation for disease prevention and control. The goal is to present the data to the community so that it can serve as a source of knowledge, bring attention to areas of success and weakness, and potentially serve as a basis for further analysis by stakeholders to design appropriate programming and interventions to address gaps in outcomes.

For the latest updates on COVID-19, visit the COVID-19 website.  A downloadable report is available on the Department of Health and Human Services website.

Per the State of Maryland:
ANNAPOLIS, MD—During his economic development mission to Western Europe, Governor Larry Hogan was joined by Vice President Francois Decoster of the Hauts-de-France region to sign a new memorandum of understanding strengthening bilateral ties in the equine industry. Through the new strategic partnership, the State of Maryland and Hauts-de-France will launch an exchange program with students and professionals to attend, learn, and compete at equine schools and competitions in both regions.

“Maryland has more horses per square mile than any other state in America and a thriving horse industry that is vital to our state’s economy,” said Governor Hogan. “We have a long tradition of French horses, owners, trainers, and jockeys competing in Maryland, and we look forward to expanding this valuable partnership.”

The agreement was signed during the Prix de Diane Race in Chantilly, France—a Group 1 flat horse race that is open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. Maryland is a leader in the horse industry, annually hosting both the Preakness Stakes—the second jewel of the Triple Crown—and the Maryland 5 Star, which is one of only two 5 Star events in the United States, and only the seventh in the world. The horse industry adds more than $1.3 billion and more than 21,000 jobs to the state’s economy.

“The Région Hauts-de-France desires to implement our December 2020 framework agreement very quickly through this agreement on the equine sector,” said Vice President Decoster. “We expect concrete results for our horse industries both in Hauts-de-France and Maryland.”

In December 2020, Governor Hogan and President Xavier Bertrand of the Hauts-de-France region enacted a Sister State memorandum of understanding. Bilateral efforts are underway between Maryland and Hauts-de-France’s life sciences and equine industries, as well as educational exchanges.

Meeting with Secretary General Alexis Kohler. On Monday, following France’s parliamentary elections, Governor Hogan met with Secretary General Alexis Kohler at Élysée Palace in Paris. Topics during the wide-ranging discussion included the impact of Sunday’s election results, the war in Ukraine, the state of the world economy, and global cybersecurity threats.

Quantum, Cyber Business Sectors. While in Paris, the governor also touted Maryland’s Global Gateway Initiative with a number of leaders in the quantum, defense, and cyber sectors—including Systematic, a tech ecosystem with over 900 members; Quantfi; ColibrITD; VeriQloud; and CybelAngel—and promoted Maryland as a trade destination with leaders from Bpifrance, Business France, and MEDEF International.

Per MCPD:
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, June 22, 2022
Following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) full approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccine for children ages 6 months to 5 years of age, the County’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will begin vaccinating children in this age group by appointment only today, Wednesday, June 22 from 3:30 to 7 p.m. at three County-operated clinics.  The Maryland Department of Health is also providing vaccine  to pediatricians and participating local pharmacies.  Available appointments are posted at www.GoVaxMoCo.com.

““It is good news that this last age group is now eligible to receive their vaccine doses,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “We know that many parents are anxious to get their babies and young children vaccinated as quickly as possible. As we have seen with previous vaccine roll-outs, we expect great demand over the next couple of weeks for these vaccines with limited supply available. Because the majority of the vaccines are going to private pediatric providers, we encourage all parents to check with their pediatrician’s office before using our website to sign up for an appointment,”  he said.  “I am grateful for the preparation, planning and outreach efforts from DHHS and our community partners to ensure equitable access to these vaccines,” he continued.  “Getting vaccinated and boosted is important to our COVID mitigation efforts, and we continue to encourage everyone to make sure they are up to date on their vaccinations.”

When vaccine supply is available, new appointments will be posted at 3 p.m. at www.GoVaxMoCo.com.  County-operated clinics for this age group will focus on weekend clinics and will include some weekday evening hours.  Appointments are required at this time.  The County will continue to receive doses from the Maryland Department of Health (MDH), with the majority of doses going to private physicians and pharmacies.

“We know that many parents have been anxiously awaiting the approval of the COVID-19 vaccine for younger children,” said Dr. James Bridgers, acting County health officer. “Because vaccine delivery amount will take some time to ramp up, parents are urged to be patient, as there will not be enough supply initially to vaccinate all eligible children immediately. The Maryland Department of Health has assured local health departments across the State that vaccine supplies will continue to be distributed weekly.”

The County will continue to ensure vaccine is distributed equitably and that includes hosting clinics in areas where vaccination rates are lower. County-operated clinics will require appointments, initially, to ensure that there is enough vaccine at each site. MCPS is working with DHHS to help community members make appointments.

For the latest COVID-19 updates, visit the County’s COVID-19 website.  Follow Montgomery County DHHS on Facebook @mocDHHS and Twitter @MoCoDHHS.

COVID-19 vaccines are now available for Marylanders six months and older, according to the Maryland Department of Health.  Visit https://montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/vaccine/ for information on vaccine clinics in Montgomery County.

Per MDH:
Baltimore, MD: June 20—The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) today announced that all Marylanders 6 months old and older are now eligible to receive a primary series of a COVID-19 vaccine. On June 18, 2022, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) authorized Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for children 6 months old and older. The vaccines should begin to arrive in Maryland today and will be available throughout the state starting tomorrow.

“We welcome having COVID-19 vaccines to help protect our youngest Marylanders against severe illness, hospitalization, or even death from this virus and strongly encourage parents to vaccinate their children,” said MDH Secretary Dennis R. Schrader. “We have been preparing to receive these COVID-19 vaccines and, utilizing our vast network of pediatricians, family practitioners, federally qualified health centers, pharmacies, and local health departments, will begin distributing them equitably across the state right away.”

“The long-awaited next opportunity to protect Maryland’s youngest children against COVID-19 is here,” said MDH Deputy Secretary for Public Health Services Dr. Jinlene Chan. “If families have any questions, I urge them to discuss the benefits of vaccinating their children against COVID-19 with their child’s health care provider. I also encourage them to vaccinate and boost all of their eligible family members as soon as possible.”

Today, MDH also issued a bulletin directing vaccine providers to immediately make the COVID-19 vaccines available to Marylanders 6 months and older.

Marylanders can schedule a COVID-19 vaccination appointment by visiting covidvax.maryland.gov or calling the GoVAX Call Center at 1-855-MD-GOVAX.

For more information on COVID-19 resources, visit covidLINK.maryland.gov.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will no longer require international travelers coming to the U.S. to provide a negative COVID-19 test result, according to CNN. The change will go into effect at midnight on June 12. The requirement has been in place since January 2021. A formal announcement is expected today from the White House.

The Associated Press reports that the CDC determined that the requirement is no longer necessary and that the agency would “reevaluate the need for the testing requirement every 90 days and that it could be reinstated if a troubling new variant emerges.”

We will post an update when more information becomes available.

BREAKING: The Biden administration is lifting its requirement that international air travelers to the U.S. take a COVID-19 test within a day before boarding their flights, a senior administration official says. The mandate will expire on Sunday. https://t.co/xi5LTyIaSM

— The Associated Press (@AP) June 10, 2022

Per the State of Maryland:

ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Larry Hogan and state health officials today encouraged Marylanders to get boosted between now and Monday, May 2, to qualify for next week’s VaxCash 2.0 $1 million grand prize drawing.

Launched in February as part of a booster action plan, Vax Cash 2.0 is awarding $2 million in cash prizes to a total of 12 Maryland residents. After a special initial drawing of $500,000, the state has been holding weekly $50,000 drawings leading up to next week’s grand prize drawing. Today’s winner is from Bowie.

“Getting fully protected with a booster shot continues to be the single most important thing you can do to minimize the impact of COVID-19 and its variants,” said Governor Hogan. “If you haven’t gotten around to it yet, getting boosted this week gives you a chance to enter our grand prize drawing.”

To date, the state has administered more than 11.7 million vaccinations, including 2.3 million booster shots. Hundreds of locations across the state continue to offer free COVID-19 vaccinations and booster shots. Find a provider at covidvax.maryland.gov.

Vax Cash 2.0 Promotion. To be eligible for the promotion, you must be a Maryland resident, at least 18 years old, and you must have received an initial dose and booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at non-federal facilities in Maryland. Maryland residents who were vaccinated at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs locations in Maryland are eligible. All eligible Marylanders are entered into the drawings—there are no additional steps to take. Detailed information is available here.

COVID-19 Booster Eligibility. Marylanders ages 12 and older are eligible for a booster after completing their primary vaccine series. Marylanders ages 50 and older are eligible for a second booster four months after their first booster, as are people ages 12 and older who are moderately or severely immunocompromised. Visit COVIDlink.maryland.gov for more information.

Maryland Ranked as Safest State During COVID-19. A national survey recently ranked Maryland as the safest state during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Per Montgomery County Public Schools:
Dear MCPS Community,
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is making changes to the COVID-19 contact tracing process in schools to align with the recommendations of the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
Based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Maryland Department of Health (MDH), universal contact tracing is no longer necessary in schools and childcare programs.

While the virus continues to affect people in our community and across the nation, this change is possible because of the important work we have all undertaken to follow health guidelines, including vaccinations, that mitigate and minimize the spread of COVID-19.
Effective May 5, 2022:

• MCPS will no longer identify or individually notify individuals who are in close contact with students or staff members who test positive for COVID-19.
• Messages will be sent out at the classroom, grade or school level as appropriate to inform the community of positive cases at individual schools.
• Daily cases by school will continue to be reported on the COVID-19 Dashboard.

We continue to work in collaboration with our county health partners and, in the event of an identified COVID-19 outbreak, we will conduct contact tracing and inform the school community of additional mitigation strategies, which may include mask-wearing and PCR or rapid testing on-site or at home. We will monitor the number of cases and adjust our strategy to ensure the health and safety of students, staff and communities.

Montgomery County Public Schools