New or Updated This Week:
Covid Activity Steady in the CMG Community (new)
Flu and RSV Activity Remain Low in the CMG Community (new)
No News Yet on Bivalent Booster Approval For Young Children Who Got 3 Monovalent Pfizer Doses (new)

Hello again everyone. This is the 132nd in a series of COVID-19 updates from Capitol Medical Group. These notices are meant to provide an update on the pandemic, explain procedures we have put in place to best serve you, and provide guidance about protecting yourselves and your families. New and updated sections are so indicated.

Covid Activity Steady in the CMG Community (new)

Covid activity has remained relatively steady in the CMG community over the last several weeks. 20 of 223 tests run at CMG were positive this week, or 9.0%. This compares to 7.8%, 11.9% and 12.5% the three weeks prior, as compared to positivity rates in the 4-5% range in early December. The total number of positive tests per week at CMG has held steady between 17 and 21 for the last month. We are hopeful this is an indicator that the XBB.1.5 variant is having a relatively muted impact on our area. Montgomery County’s Covid case numbers fell this week, while Covid-related hospitalizations appear to be plateauing.

Flu and RSV Activity Remain Low in the CMG Community (new)

We continue to see little Flu and RSV activity in the CMG community. CMG recorded 8 positive Flu tests this week, as compared to 6 last week and 14 the week prior. There were 3 positive RSV tests at CMG this week, as compared to 2 last week and 4 each of the two weeks prior. During the height of the respiratory illness wave this fall, there were well over 100 positive tests per week for both Flu and RSV. We have seen a slight uptick in croup and strep in the last few weeks, but overall the illness burden in the community is low at the moment.

No News Yet on Bivalent Booster Approval For Young Children Who Got 3 Monovalent Pfizer Doses (new)

Children age 6 months to 5 years who completed the 3-dose Pfizer series with the original monovalent version of the vaccine are not yet approved to receive the bivalent booster as a 4th dose. We do not know when or if bivalent approval will come for these children. As soon as an announcement is made on this issue by the FDA and CDC, we will alert you here.

Children in this age group who received only 2 of the Pfizer monovalent doses are approved to receive the bivalent version of the vaccine as the third dose. Children who received 2 doses of the Moderna vaccine are also approved to receive the bivalent version as the third dose.