Posts Tagged ‘covid19’

Montgomery County Food Council’s Online Food Assistance Resource Directory

Written by Susan Augusty on November 21, 2022. Posted in Covid-19 Response, Emergency & Community Assistance, Finding Help & Information, Healthy Living

The Montgomery County Food Council’s Online Food Assistance Resource Directory lists more than 100 food assistance sites in the County. This directory is searchable by location, food assistance type, accessibility and many other special features. Mapa de Recursos de Comida El Directorio de recursos de asistencia alimentaria en línea del Consejo de alimentos del condado de Montgomery enumera más de 100 sitios de asistencia alimentaria en el condado y se puede buscar por ubicación, tipo de asistencia alimentaria, accesibilidad y muchas otras características especiales. Seniors looking for meal sites can search for them here Visit infoMONTGOMERY’s Community Support page to access other useful information for those in need of immediate and on-going assistance.

Getting a COVID-19 updated booster shot

Written by Susan Augusty on September 8, 2022. Posted in Covid-19 Response, Emergency & Community Assistance, Finding Help & Information, Healthy Living

Getting a COVID-19 updated booster shot

Last week, the FDA and CDC approved new Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 bivalent boosters that are specifically tailored to combat the two most prevalent omicron subvariants, BA.4 and BA.5. Beginning September 7, the vaccines are widely available in the DMV.

The bivalent vaccines can only be used as a booster shot at least two months after the completion of the primary series – or initial required shots – or following a previous booster shot. The Pfizer bivalent vaccine is authorized for those 12 years of age and older. The Moderna bivalent vaccine is authorized for use in people 18 years of age and older. More.

You can get an updated booster at any of the Montgomery County-sponsored clinics or at a private provider, such as a Giant or CVS pharmacy. Appointments are recommended, especially at county clinics. The federal vaccines.gov site provides information on pharmacies and other providers that have available booster appointments and walk-ins are welcome. Also see Maryland’s vaccine locator.

For those concerned about mRNA used in the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, Novavax offers an alternative. It’s a traditional protein-based vaccine and does not use mRNA. People aged 12 and over who have not completed another primary COVID-19 vaccine series are eligible for Novavax, which is administered in two doses three week apart.

The county offers Novavax vaccines at its clinics by appointment only. Call the county’s COVID-19 call center at 240-777-2982 to request appointments or make an appointment online.

How Do I Get a COVID-19 Test in Montgomery County?

Written by Susan Augusty on January 19, 2022. Posted in Covid-19 Response, Emergency & Community Assistance, Finding Help & Information, Healthy Living

How Do I Get a COVID-19 Test in Montgomery County?

Testing Clinic locations

Seniors and people with disabilities: get a free ride to your COVID-19 testing clinic

Visit one of the county run or sponsored Testing clinics for PCR testing for anyone who lives, works, or regularly visits Montgomery County.

We test people of all ages. If you bring young children, we may ask you to help them get tested. . Appointments are available, or Walk-in on a First-Come, First-Serve basis

Testing is free. If you have insurance, we will ask for your information, but there are no co-pays or deductibles.

We do not require a government ID or a doctor’s order.

Our clinics provide nasal swab tests. You take the sample yourself. The tests are molecular tests, also called PCR tests. These diagnostic tests detect genetic material of the COVID-19 virus using a lab technique called polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We do not offer antibody testing at our clinics.

At-home rapid tests
Order free rapid tests for at-home delivery from the US government.

Place Your Order for Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests

Residential households in the U.S. can order one set of 4 free at-home tests from USPS.com. Here’s what you need to know about your order:

Limit of one order per residential address

One order includes 4 individual rapid antigen COVID-19 tests

Orders will ship free starting in late January

Visit the USPS Site here

Get rapid test kits at any one of 19 Montgomery County Public Library branches.

Rapid test kits are free to Montgomery County residents.
Bring a form of proof of residency. Examples include a Driver’s license, ID, or a bill that shows you are a resident of Montgomery County.

Kit pickup is inside each library. You might enter at a side entrance. If you come early, you may wait outdoors. The line moves fast. If you need support, please ask a site attendant.

Residents can get two kits per person per day. Each kit contains two tests.

We have a limited supply of kits per site. We update this page as locations run out.

Providers can request rapid test kits for their organization or private school. Request COVID-19 Rapid Test Kits for your organization

COVID-19 Vaccinations for 5 to 11 Year Olds

Written by Susan Augusty on November 2, 2021. Posted in Covid-19 Response, Emergency & Community Assistance, Finding Help & Information, Healthy Living

COVID-19 Vaccinations for 5 to 11 Year Olds

VACCINATIONS

Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine has been authorized for 5- to 11-year-olds. MCPS is partnering with the county’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Holy Cross Hospital to offer a number of free vaccination clinics for children at schools and county sites.

Check this page for updates on clinics

Due to limited appointment availability, information about how to register for an appointment at weekday vaccination sites are being shared with school communities by each school’s respective principal.

Two-thirds of the doses for children 5 to 11 will be provided by pharmacies, pediatricians and other healthcare providers, and about one-third will be provided by the health department. Residents are encouraged to take advantage of the numerous sources that are providing vaccinations. Montgomery County health officials said they’re expecting a shipment of 40,000 vaccines for up to 12 middle and elementary schools and six community vaccination sites.

The county is also ramping up a campaign to inform parents. “We will be using Whatsapp and other media platforms to get notification and information regarding the efficacy of the vaccines,” Dr. James Bridgers, a county health official, told reporters Thursday.

The county’s department of health is working with schools to identify and prioritize students who are immunocompromised. The department is also contracting teams to provide rotating pop-up clinics in areas of the county of greatest need on behalf of the African American Health Program and other minority health initiatives.

Dr. Earl Stoddard, the county’s chief administrative officer, told reporters Thursday they’re working to make sure vaccines are accessible to all communities.

“We’re obviously keenly aware of the fact that we have continued to keep kids educated while at schools and so many of these hours are going to be at nights and weekends,” Stoddard said.

Here are the schools and community sites that will be offering vaccination clinics. Their days and hours of operations have not yet been finalized:

For a map of sites click here

Argyle Middle School

Banneker Middle School

Dennis Ave Health Center

East County Recreational Center

Eastern Middle School

Forest Oak Middle School

Francis Scott Key Middle School

Julius West Middle School

Lakeforest Mall

Loiederman Middle School

Montgomery College Germantown Campus

Montgomery College Rockville

Montgomery Village Middle School

Roberto Clemente Middle School

Silver Spring Civic Building

Coming Soon! COVID-19 Vaccinations for 5 to 11 Year Old

Written by Susan Augusty on October 29, 2021. Posted in Covid-19 Response, Emergency & Community Assistance, Finding Help & Information, Healthy Living

Coming Soon! COVID-19 Vaccinations for 5 to 11 Year Olds

Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for 5-to-11-year-olds is expected to be authorized for emergency use in the coming days. MCPS is partnering with the county’s Department of Health and Human Services and Holy Cross Hospital to offer a number of free vaccination clinics for children at schools and county sites once the vaccine is available. Clinic dates, times and locations will be released soon. Parents/guardians who have not received a COVID-19 vaccine and would like one, or those who need a booster, will be able to do so at these clinics as well.

Student Vaccination

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Covid -19 Vaccine information for Maryland

Written by Susan Augusty on January 25, 2021. Posted in Covid-19 Response, Emergency & Community Assistance, Finding Help & Information, Healthy Living

For a complete list of COVID-19 vaccination clinics, visit http://covidvax.maryland.gov/ MARYLAND IS IN PHASE 1C:

All licensed, registered and certified health care providers
Front line hospital staff
Nursing home residents and staff
Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities
Assisted living, independent living, behavioral health and developmentally disabled group homes, and other congregate facilities
Law enforcement and firefighters, EMS
Education staff, including K-12 teachers, support staff and daycare providers
Correctional health care staff and officers
Public safety workers not covered in Phase 1A
Health care workers not covered in Phase 1A, including but not limited
to lab services, public health, vaccine manufacturing and other health care professions
Front line judiciary staff
Continuity of government
Food/agriculture production, critical manufacturing, U.S. Postal Service, public mass transit, grocery store employees
Veterinarians and support staff
Clergy and other essential support for houses of worship
Adults age 65 and older

If you are included in one of the groups listed above, you are currently eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.

At this time, the federal government is giving the state approximately 10,000 doses/day for over 1.5 million people who are eligible. Supply is very limited.

Find a Vaccination Clinic Near You

If you are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination, enter your address, ZIP code or location here to find a vaccination clinic near you.

Montgomery County Food Access Center for Food Assistance Resources

Written by Susan Augusty on January 11, 2021. Posted in Covid-19 Response, Emergency & Community Assistance, Finding Help & Information, Healthy Living

The Montgomery County Food Access Center has a launched a dedicated webpage for food assistance requests

Residents looking for information on food assistance resources can now request help by completing a simple online form.

Available in seven languages (Amharic, Chinese, English, French, Korean, Spanish, and Vietnamese), the form is reviewed by a trained resource specialist, and residents receive a return phone call within one business day.

The specialist will determine a resident’s individual food needs and help them locate food assistance in their community. No Personally identifiable information is needed to get help.

Information is available about free food distribution sites, free meal and grocery delivery, SNAP (Food Stamps), local food assistance providers, and other resources in Montgomery County. Residents can also call 311 and ask for the Food Access Call Center to get help with their food needs.

The Food Access Call Center opened in June 2020 and has been working throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to address the increasing need for food assistance across the County. As of mid-December, the Food Access Call Center has responded to more than 2,000 calls/referrals.

Covid -19 Vaccine information for Montgomery County

Written by Susan Augusty on January 11, 2021. Posted in Covid-19 Response, Emergency & Community Assistance, Finding Help & Information, Healthy Living

Current County Covid-19 Vaccination Data

Montgomery County’s has a new Vaccination Update page on its website that’s updated regularly. See it here. This is in addition to the county’s Covid-19 webpage, which is more comprehensive.

If you want to be kept right up to the minute, you can sign up to get COVID-19 vaccine updates by email or text here. Just provide your email or cell number, press ‘submit,’ and you’llon the list to get alerts automatically.

Important Update: MCPS to provide triple meal service on Fridays for All County Children and Students

Written by Susan Augusty on September 18, 2020. Posted in Covid-19 Response, Emergency & Community Assistance, Finding Help & Information, Healthy Living

Montgomery County Public Schools is providing curbside meal service at 74 school sites. Breakfast and lunch meals will be provided from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday (double meals) and Friday (no meal service on Thursday). The district is increasing to a triple meal service on Fridays, beginning Sept. 18, to help address food insecurity for MCPS students over the weekend. The USDA has granted waivers which again permit meal distribution to all youth 18 and under. MCPS students over 18 will need to provide a student id to pick up meals. Student names will be required for meal pick up. All sites are outside, and we ask that you wear a facemask and practice physical/social distancing as you pick up meals. Menu information is available on the main Menu webpage. Allergens, nutrients and other information can be found on the Wellness & Nutrition webpage.

The district will also continue to partner with local nonprofits, faith-based organizations, county government agencies, and others to provide food and other critical resources to the community. Additionally, families are encouraged to visit Montgomery County’s COVID-19 Food Resource page for additional resources.

For sites and more information visit this MCPS webpage

Important Update: MCPS to Resume Free Meal Service for All County Children and Students

Written by Susan Augusty on September 8, 2020. Posted in Covid-19 Response, Emergency & Community Assistance, Finding Help & Information, Healthy Living

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has extended the waivers that allow school systems to provide free meals to students during the summer months. MCPS will resume providing free breakfast and lunch to all county children and enrolled MCPS students. A student identification number will not be required, however, names will be taken for each child.

Meal service will continue at 74 sites. Beginning Tuesday, September 8, MCPS will reinstate the following mobile sites:

School Bus Service Sites:
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday (double meals) and Friday at the following locations:

Pembridge/Amherst Apartments

Nob Hill Apartments

Woodmont Apartments

Forest Park Apartments

<.> MCPS will transition to a more traditional food service program this fall, starting on Monday, Aug. 31, the first day of the 2020-2021 school year. Breakfast and lunch meals will be provided to MCPS students at 74 meal sites. A student must be enrolled in an MCPS school to receive these meals. This curbside meal service will be provided from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday (no meal service on Thursday). Students/families will need their student identification number in order to pick up a meal. Standard meal prices will be charged and students who receive Free and Reduced-price Meals (FARMS) will continue to pay reduced rates. Payment will come from a student’s lunch account. Families can pick up meals at any of the 74 sites. MCPS is mailing this information home to all families, along with student ID numbers. The district will also continue to partner with local nonprofits, faith-based organizations, county government agencies and others to provide food and other critical resources to the community. Additionally, families are encouraged to visit Montgomery County’s COVID-19 Food Resource page for additional resources. Parents/guardians of enrolled MCPS students can click here to opt in for 2020 Fall Meal Curbside Service. Meals will be available at 74 sites around Montgomery County. For a list of meal sites, click here.