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Montgomery County’s COVID transmission numbers remain steady and among the lowest since the start of the pandemic. Our vaccination rates continue to climb. And there is more good news: With the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) expected to give final approval of the Pfizer vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds tomorrow, Montgomery County is quickly mobilizing to begin offering these vaccinations in the coming days, including youth-focused vaccination clinics around the County on nights and weekends.
Pre-register your 12- to 15-year-old child now for an appointment and the County's health team will contact you once the ACIP gives final approval. All State mass vaccination sites and private clinics with Pfizer vaccines will also be offering doses to newly eligible residents 12 and older. Our current expectation is that a parent or guardian will need to accompany their child to verify age and provide consent.
These exciting developments will provide protection for more people in our community and help us make further progress on our already fast-progressing vaccination rates. As of Monday, the CDC reported that 47.5 percent of Montgomery County residents had received their second vaccine dose or their dose of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Given the current rate of vaccinations and the up-to two-week period after the second shot for vaccines to provide full protection, County public health officials expect us to reach the 50-percent fully vaccinated mark by the end of May. This is critical because once we hit the 50-percent fully vaccinated mark, all activities and business in Montgomery County will follow any State or Maryland Department of Health requirements in-place at the time. This puts us on track for a full reopening with some mask requirements, perhaps even earlier than neighboring jurisdictions such as Washington, D.C.
This is possible because of your diligence and effort in getting vaccinated, but also because of the steps you've taken and sacrifices you've made in protecting yourself and others. COVID transmission is among the lowest since the beginning of the pandemic with a seven-day average of just four cases per 100,000 residents, a 14-day average of 1.9 percent test positivity, and a nearly 39-percent reduction in new cases per 100,000 residents compared with the previous seven-day period.
We also continue to work with our public health team to make needed adjustments to outdoor mask and outdoor graduation guidance in order to keep the community safe while making these rules consistent with the latest Board of Health order and CDC guidance, as well as the latest findings on outdoor transmission risk.
Thank you once again for the sacrifices you've made and for continuing to communicate with me and my office about the challenges you're facing. We should all be proud of the progress we've made – let’s keep it up!
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