Jordana Carmel, our neighbor in 20895, invites us to join her
Community Yoga classes (4:30 on Wednesdays and 4:30 on Fridays) to help de-stress
during the pandemic. The invitation includes the caveat “Please do not let money
influence your decision of whether or not to join us.” Learn more at Virtual
Community Yoga.

Villages of Kensington brings you a discussion with Christina Puchalski, MD, MS, FACP, FAAHPM, is a pioneer and international leader in the movement to integrate spirituality into healthcare in clinical settings and medical education. As founder and director of the George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health (GWish) and Professor of Medicine at The George Washington University in Washington, DC, she continues to break new ground in the understanding and integration of spiritual care in healthcare settings. ​

Johns Hopkins Medicine National Capital Region - The COVID-19 Vaccine: What You Need To Know
Tuesday, January 19 | 4-5 p.m. | FREE
This virtual event will bring together the expertise of Johns Hopkins University, Sibley Memorial Hospital and Suburban Hospital for the benefit of the National Capital Region community. Join us to hear the latest information and participate in a live Q&A.
Flyer (lists presenters)
Registration (use the link, not the email address on flyer)

Note: Each state is allocated different amounts of vaccine and each state is managing their vaccine distribution process differently.  So please adjust your expectations accordingly.  Phases and timing or protocols will be different in other states around the country.  Montgomery County has high population density (about 980,000)..so our area will also be slower to move through the various vaccination categories.  Additionally, as Maryland is significantly larger than nearby DC with a population of about 685,000, DC is likely to move faster along with vaccinations than Maryland.  

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Suburban Hospital Village Ambassador COVID-19 Resource Newsletter (download)
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Vaccine and Priority Group Information Website
For detailed answers to questions about COVID-19 vaccinations in Montgomery County, please visit the County's Vaccine and Priority Group Information website.
View the Vaccine Update Power Point Slide presentation from Jan. 6, 2021.
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Maryland's tiered vaccine distribution process
Last week, a Bethesda Beat article detailed the new tiered distribution process within Phases 1A, 1B, and IC for COVID-19 vaccine distribution within the County.  (To read about the Maryland expansion program for vaccine distribution for all phases of vaccine distribution in the state, click here.)
Here’s who is eligible in each phase and priority tier.  Unless otherwise noted, the list for Phase 1 only includes people unable to work from home and unable to control social distancing in the listed industries.

Phase 1A
Tier 1:
● Hospital personnel
● Long-term care facility staff members and residents
● Developmental Disability Administration group homes
● Assisted living facilities
● Residential rehabilitation programs
 
Tier 2:
● EMS
● Vaccinators (local health department, school nurse, etc.)
● Testing sites — testers and onsite registration staff members
● Public health — COVID-19 response
● Urgent care providers
● Primary care providers
 
Tier 3:
● Dental practices
● Pharmacists
● Other health care professionals (outpatient specialties, optometrists, physical therapists, podiatrists, community health workers, in-home nursing staff, etc.)
● Detention centers staff members
● Homeless shelters staff members
● Law enforcement (patrol/public-facing)
● Fire rescue
● 911 dispatchers
● Behavioral health (non-telehealth) — residential/recovery, etc.
● School nurses (non-vaccine/non-testers)
● Lab workers
● Morticians and funeral home employees
● Surgical centers
● Other providers licensed by the Maryland Department of Health
 
Phase 1B
Tier 1:
● Adults ages 75 and older
 
Tier 2:
● Public transit workers (transport for senior citizens and people with disabilities)
● Education sector (teachers and support staff)
● Child care workers
● Food and agricultural workers
● Postal Service workers
● Grocery store workers
● People experiencing homelessness
● People in detainee centers
 
Tier 3:
● Manufacturing workers

Phase 1C
Tier 1:
● Adults ages 65 to 74
 
Tier 2 — People 16 to 64 years old with high-risk medical conditions, including:
● Cancer
● Chronic Kidney Disease
● Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
● Heart conditions
● Immunocompromised state
● Obesity/severe obesity
● Pregnancy
● Sickle Cell Disease
● Smoking
● Type 2 Diabetes, Type 1 Diabetes
● Asthma (moderate-severe)
● Cerebrovascular disease
● Cystic fibrosis
● Hypertension or high blood pressure
● Immunocompromised conditions (from blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, prolonged use of corticosteroids or other immunosuppressive medication)
● Dementia, ALS, other neurologic issues
● Liver disease
● Pulmonary disease
● Thalassemia
 
Tier 3 — Essential workers not previously in Phase 1A or 1B, including:
● Transportation and logistics
● Water and wastewater
● Food service
● Shelter and housing (construction, etc.)
● Finance (banks, etc.)
● IT and communications
● Energy
● Legal (state’s attorney, public defenders, judiciary, etc.)
● Media
● Public Safety (engineers, etc.)
● Public health workers — non-COVID-19 response
● Social & Human Services (Aging, DSS, Human Services) — field/in-home services
● Continuity of government (elected officials)
 
On the document, County officials noted that the County government has received 12,900 doses of the Moderna vaccine and has been vaccinating public health vaccinators, COVID-19 testing staff members, and clinical services employees since December 23.
 
“The health department is prepared to respond to anaphylaxis/severe allergic reactions after the COVID-19 vaccination and is pre-screening individuals to determine if there are any contraindications or precautions,” the document stated.
 
For more general information on the County’s vaccination program, click here.

When and where can I get a COVID vaccination? 

Based on current levels of vaccine received, the County expects to move to Phase 1A, Tier 3, over the next 10 to 14 days. They expect to reach Phase 1B in February 2021. Progress through the tiers depends on the vaccine deliveries we receive from the State of Maryland and the federal government.

The timing of vaccinating the next priority groups depends on when the first group is finished. The estimate is it will take several more weeks to complete Phase 1A. Once the current priority group is vaccinated, they will move through the next groups.

Vaccinations are by appointment only. The County will provide a link to the appointment system when they move to the next priority groups.

This information will be publicized through the County Covid-19 website , and Vaccine Update emails/texts, our social media channels, and local news media. (Sign up for the Vaccine Updates here.  NOTE this is for updates...this is NOT vaccine registration.)  They will also use official's electronic newsletters - such as the County Executive’s weekly newsletter and Councilmembers' newsletters. 

Note: CC@H will also alert you when the vaccine registration information is released.  

How to make a vaccine appointment (not currently available for the majority of the population)
When you are notified that you are eligible to receive a vaccination, you will be given

* an online link for making your appointment, and
* a list of available clinic locations and times.
* If you do not have internet access, we will give you a phone number to call and make an appointment.

When it is time for your second dose, they will send you a reminder and appointment information.

Vaccine locations 
Currently they are using County clinic locations and are working to secure locations in various parts of the county, including recreation centers.

When you are notified that you are eligible to receive a vaccination, you will be given
* an online link for making your appointment, and
* a list of available clinic locations and times.

Depending on how much vaccine is available, private physicians may soon be able to request vaccine to provide to their patients. Pharmacies will also be able to request their own vaccine supply.

How does the vaccine work?
The COVID-19 vaccines we will receive are mRNA vaccines. Unlike many vaccines that put a weakened or inactivated germ into our bodies to trigger an immune response, mRNA vaccines teach our cells how to make a protein or a piece of a protein that triggers an immune response. When the vaccine triggers that immune response, our bodies produce antibodies which then protect us from getting infected if we are exposed to the real virus.

For most COVID-19 vaccines, two doses of the vaccine will be required. An online service called PrepMod will be used to schedule appointments and send reminders to people when their second vaccination doses are due.

Avoid COVID scams - update from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Here are tips to avoid scams that are popping up around the vaccine: 

* You likely will not need to pay anything out of pocket to get the vaccine during this public health emergency.
* You can’t pay to put your name on a list to get the vaccine.
* You can’t pay to get early access to the vaccine.
* No one from a vaccine distribution site or health care payer, like a private insurance company, will call you asking for your Social Security number or your credit card or bank account information to sign you up to get the vaccine.
* Beware of providers offering other products, treatments, or medicines to prevent the virus.
* Check with your health care provider before paying for or receiving any COVID-19-related treatment.
* If you get a call, text, email — or even someone knocking on your door — claiming they can get you early access to the vaccine, STOP. That’s a scam. Don’t pay for a promise of vaccine access or share personal information. 

Instead, file a complaint with Maryland State Attorney General Frosh  Click here .  
  
For more information, read the FTC’s blog.

For the latest vaccine updates, check with the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). 

The new edition of Positive Aging Sourcebook is available and it features a complete list of the DC-MD-VA region Villages along with other Aging in Place solutions and a complete list of EVERY senior housing community. Click here or below to view the digital edition and click here to have a FREE copy mailed to your address.

​Housing Initiative Partnership (HIP), a nonprofit housing developer and counseling agency, is launching a Home Sharing Program in Montgomery County, beginning  December 1, 2020. The goal is to successfully identify and match renters who are seeking affordable housing options with homeowners who have attractive and safe spare bedrooms in their homes, or Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) on their property, to rent long-term. The homeowners must live in the home full time to participate.


HIP’s Montgomery County Home Sharing Program is supported by Montgomery County’s Department of Health & Human Services, and uses Silvernest.com to match Homeowners (HO) with compatible Home Seekers (HS). No housing subsidies are available.


Below you will find the links to a survey for Homeowners and a separate survey for Home Seekers. We would love to get your input on whether a Home Sharing arrangement is something you would consider. Feel free to also forward the survey links to friends and family members who might also have an interest in learning more about this new initiative.


For more information, please call HIP: 301-85-SHARE (301-857-4273)


For home owners: https://hiphomes.org/home-sharing/
For home seekers: https://hiphomes.org/home-seekers/




Thank You,


HIP Home Sharing Team

Dear Friends:
We all know that more people need to get out of their cars and into public transportation, which not only is environmentally friendly, but also is the best way to deal with traffic and encourage economic development. 
I am pleased to announce that this week we launched the first bus service of its kind in Maryland. We are calling it Flash and it will run north and south along Maryland Route 29—one our most congested traffic routes. This is the start of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network I first proposed a dozen years ago, a network that will eventually connect the major commuting routes in the County.
For the eastern portion of our County, which is starting to see its economic possibilities with the FDA headquarters, the new Adventist Medical Center, the growth of White Oak and so much more, Flash will be a major contributor to what is ahead in its future.
When I proposed BRT, few people wanted to listen. But then our County put together a task force to study real transit—transit that would be reliable, easy to use and would take people where they needed to go—and people liked what they heard. It took a long time, but we finally got it started. It was exciting to see the unique 16 Flash buses roll out on their new routes. But this is just the start. We are also reviewing Flash routes for corridors such as Veirs Mill Road and Rockville Pike. BRT will not solve all of our traffic problems, but it can make a difference.
In my video this week, I talk about this service. You can also read the story about Flash in this newsletter to learn more about why this is different from our existing bus service.
Regarding the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis, we have begun seeing a slight uptick in the numbers and we are watching it very carefully. I know everyone is eager to continue reopening, but we will continue to watch the data and proceed with caution. You may have seen that this new uptick is happening across the country and the world.  We are encouraging people to get tested, especially if you think you may have been exposed—and please continue to follow the safety guidelines to prevent the spread of this virus. Getting tested is easy and fast, and on the upcoming schedule, we have 49 test clinics scheduled—the most we have ever scheduled in an eight-day period. They are at various times and at locations across the County. Here is more information on where to get tested.
This week, some special individuals, a dedicated organization and an important national business that calls Montgomery County home were all honored at the annual Montgomery Serves Awards. In a normal year, they would have been honored at a major ceremony, and I would have loved to have been with them to celebrate, but we all know this is not a normal year, so they were honored in virtual ceremonies. Their contributions, however, have been just as monumental as ever.
The Montgomery Serves Awards represent the County’s highest honor for service and volunteerism. You can watch the ceremonies at bit.ly/Watch2020MSA.
Each of the honorees are models of what can be done to help and inspire others. They have been involved in projects that reach a cross-section of our County, ranging from making our neighborhoods stronger, preserving the history of our Black communities, inspiring our youth to become more involved, lifting up the arts and helping our homeless residents.
We are very proud of this year’s award winners, and we thank them for their work and their commitment to Montgomery County.

Guidelines for staying safe and sane for members and volunteers, for all of us


https://capitalcaring.zoom.us/rec/share/R2uV5-CgHL2YrotBe7bg9TWJp-P-tVhmbuZyUMhMxBujuYdo6TLaYakOPhPnoLQ.z5kLUEOW09ZW4TEW

Access Passcode: DuD&q3#6

There are more than 45 sites in Montgomery County where residents can get tested for COVID-19, including County-operated and privately operated clinics. There will be County-operated testing at 14 clinics on the upcoming schedule.
Testing at County clinics is free, does not require a doctor’s referral and is available by making advance appointments or on a walk-up basis. Reservations can be made online at www.MoCoCOVIDtesting.org.