CC@H is getting updates and monitoring for this information daily from County and State authorities. They will alert us when the vaccine is open to the 75-year plus and 65-74 year categories, and we will immediately email an alert to you with links.
We are asking our Neighbor Network Volunteers to please contact their Members to keep them appraised...and to offer help if their Member needs help with registration. (The office is always available to help you navigate this.) If you are a Member or Volunteer and will need help with registering, please let the office know as well.
To register for the County's COVID-19 email alerts subscribe here.
If you want to learn more about the vaccine, here are 2 expert programs you can to attend. (These programs should have telephone numbers for people to call in from their phones.)
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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The following information is from our Friday COVID-19 email.
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).
Sources: Bethesda Chevy-Chase Regional Services; Bethesda Beat, Bureau of Consumer Protection
If you have any questions, please call the office at (301) 657-3115. Office hours are 9 am - 3 pm.
