Flu Vaccine Clinics at CMG to Start Saturday 9/9 in Underground Parking Lot P1
RSV Shots for Newborns/Infants Expected in Late September/Early October
RSV Vaccine for Adults – Not Available at CMG
New Iteration of Covid Vaccine Expected in Late September/Early October
Flu Vaccine Clinics at CMG to Start Saturday 9/9 in Underground Parking Lot P1 We expect to receive our first shipment of flu vaccine for the 2023 season this week and will begin vaccinating our patients and their families Saturday 9/9 in the P1 underground parking level of our building. The entrance to the P1 level is roughly 100 yards down Chevy Chase Lake Drive off Connecticut Ave. Signs will be posted. Flu vaccine is recommended for all patients age 6 months and up.
We will be using an online flu vaccine scheduling system again this year. To book an appointment, please follow this link. Please note that each person being vaccinated must have their own appointment – we will not be able to vaccinate those who arrive without an appointment. Appointments are currently available to be booked on Saturdays through September 30th. We will be adding many additional days to the schedule as more vaccine arrives in the coming weeks. We anticipate conducting flu clinics every Saturday through mid-November. We will also offer limited opportunities for flu vaccine during the week. We be using a drive-through vaccine strategy again this year, utilizing the second of the building’s two underground parking levels (called P1). Families will be directed where to park, have their appointments confirmed, fill out a simple form, receive their vaccines at the car, and drive away. Most families find this process to be more efficient and less anxiety-provoking than coming up into the office to receive a vaccine. Administering flu vaccine will be the sole activity of the drive-up clinics for the time being. A new iteration of Covid vaccine is expected later in the fall. Once the new Covid vaccines arrive we will administer them along with flu at the drive-through clinics. We will update you here about this issue in the coming weeks. Patients who are coming into the office for an appointment with a provider, such as a well visit or a non-acute sick visit, will be able to receive flu vaccine at that time if they wish. The exception is during our early morning “Before Hours” walk-in hour for sick children – we do not have enough nursing staff during Before Hours to administer flu vaccine.
RSV Shots for Newborns/Infants Expected in Late September/Early October The CDC has approved a new monoclonal antibody injection called Beyfortus to protect newborns and infants under age 8 months against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), one of the leading causes of hospitalization in young children. Children under 8 months (and certain children age 8-19 months who are particularly susceptible to RSV due to underlying medical conditions) will be eligible to receive a single Beyfortus injection. CMG will recommend Beyfortus for all who are eligible.
Beyfortus has not yet been distributed to doctors offices; we expect it to arrive in late September or early October. We will share more information about Beyfortus and include a link to online scheduling when it becomes available. Because the dose of Beyfortus depends on a child’s weight, shots will be given in the office itself, not at our drive-through flu clinics in the parking lot. We will have a separate schedule specifically for Beyfortus administration. Beyfortus shots will also be available when in the office for a well visit.
RSV Vaccine for Adults – Not Available at CMG The CDC has recommended a new RSV vaccine for adults age 60 and over. We think this is a wise decision and recommend that eligible adults receive the vaccine. RSV is a leading cause of hospitalization and death among older adults during the respiratory virus season.
Because the new RSV vaccine is covered under Medicare Part D, it will be administered in pharmacies rather than in doctors offices. As a result, CMG will not stock the RSV vaccine for adults. RSV has already begun to circulate in our community. For those interested, we recommend vaccinating sooner than later.
New Iteration of Covid Vaccine Expected in Late September/Early October The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is scheduled to meet on September 12 to discuss recommendations for an updated Covid vaccine this fall. Assuming the updated version of the vaccine is approved, we expect shipment in late September or early October. When the new Covid vaccine arrives, we will offer it along with flu vaccine at our drive-through clinics and in the office. We will update you here when we know more.