In-person PCR testing continues at multiple sites throughout the community. A schedule of testing locations can be found at the County’s website.
If you are high risk for severe illness from COVID-19, wear a mask indoors in public settings. In addition, talk to your healthcare provider about additional precautions and whether you are a candidate for treatments like oral antivirals, PrEP and monoclonal antibodies.
“We encourage residents to take precautions to protect themselves and their loved ones,” said Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security Acting Director Marianne Souders. “Check on elderly friends, relatives and neighbors to ensure they are not showing signs of heat-related illnesses.”
Extreme heat affects the body’s ability to regulate temperature, which can create dangerous conditions if appropriate safety measures are not taken. Heat may affect air quality, especially in urban areas, and may have a stronger impact on the elderly, children. and sick persons.
“Our current surge in cases is lasting longer than expected, which leaves more people at-risk of being exposed to COVID-19,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “I encourage everyone to wear masks indoors in public spaces when possible as well as continue to use our ample testing and vaccination resources we have in the County. I know we are all tired of this virus, but the virus is not tired of us. If we keep doing our individual parts, as a community, we can tamp down this increase in the case rate and avoid going back to days of more restrictive measures.”
The County’s COVID-19 case rate has risen steadily over the last month and is now more than triple the recent low on March 15. Although the County is currently an area of low-level community transmission as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the case rate is quickly approaching medium-level community transmission. While there has not been a commensurate increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations in the County, there is concern about the impact that spring break travel and holiday gatherings may have on transmission.
The booster shots were administered by vaccinators from the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC). The governor presented a National Nurses Week proclamation to Karen Doyle, the chief nursing officer for UMMC.
Nearly 11.8 Million COVID-19 Vaccinations Statewide. To date, Maryland has administered nearly 11.8 million COVID-19 vaccines, including more than 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.
“We live in a time where people’s rights are under attack – from the Supreme Court to the halls of Congress, to State Houses throughout this nation,” said County Executive Elrich. “We must do all we can to protect women’s health and their personal rights. With this allocation of funds, we are helping ensure that any woman who needs assistance will be able to access it. I want to thank our nonprofit partners, doctors, and nurses who are so critical to our efforts. In Montgomery County, we are committed to working in partnership to stand up for all people and will continue to do so.”
“The County Executive’s initiative is in great alignment with the County Council’s resolution on reproductive rights, which I spearheaded,” said County Councilmember Nancy Navarro. “The resolution affirmed our commitment to ensuring that health care organizations that provide reproductive health services have the appropriate supports and capacity to safeguard the reproductive rights of residents in our communities. As the lone woman Councilmember on the Council, I will continue to do all I can to support the County executive and the County Council in doing the right thing – protecting our reproductive rights and safeguarding the welfare of all our residents. I also call on Governor Hogan to support reproductive rights in Maryland by releasing the $3.5 million earmarked by the legislature for training.”
In-person PCR testing continues at multiple sites throughout the community. A schedule of testing locations can be found at the County’s website.
Nancy H. Dacek North Potomac Community Recreation Center. 13850 Travilah Road, Rockville.
The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services has released an updated population health report, “Health in Montgomery County 2010-2019”, which includes “data and statistics on major health topics such as demographics and social determinants of health; vital statistics; maternal and infant health; chronic diseases; infectious diseases; behavioral health; injuries; and environmental health” in Montgomery County and how it compares to State and national health outcomes. According to the report, health outcomes in Montgomery County have performed better than state and national averages, but there are “several health conditions with increasing trends and disparities by race/ethnicity, age, sex, and geographic areas that warrant special attention.”
Findings of the report, per Montgomery County:
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.
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
GAITHERSBURG, Md., April 22, 2022/PRNewswire/ — Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX), a biotechnology company dedicated to developing and commercializing next-generation vaccines for serious infectious diseases, has initiated administration of the first booster doses of NVX-CoV2373, the company’s protein-based COVID-19 vaccine, in the pediatric expansion of the PREVENT-19 pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial. The study will evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of a third dose of NVX-CoV2373 among trial participants aged 12 through 17.
“We see the ongoing need for alternative vaccine options because we are continuing to monitor spikes in COVID-19,” said Gregory M. Glenn, M.D., President, Research and Development, Novavax. “The expansion of our PREVENT-19 booster trial into the pediatric population reinforces our commitment to seek to make our vaccine available to a broader population.”
“We continue to evaluate the dynamic public health landscape and believe there may be a need for recurrent boosters to fight both COVID-19 and seasonal influenza,” said Gregory M. Glenn, M.D., President of Research and Development, Novavax. “We’re encouraged by these data and the potential path forward for a combination COVID-19-influenza vaccine as well as stand-alone vaccines for influenza and COVID-19.”
The safety and tolerability profile of the combination vaccine was consistent with the stand-alone NVX-CoV2373 and quadrivalent nanoparticle influenza vaccine reference formulations in the trial. The combination vaccine was found to be generally well tolerated. Serious adverse were rare and none were assessed as being related to the vaccine.