Tea Spa Wellness relocates in Gaithersburg

Tea Spa Wellness has successfully relocated in the Kentlands area of Gaithersburg. It has completed its move from 209 Market Street W. to 621 Center Point Way at Kentlands Market Square. Tea Spa Wellness offers massages, facials, and healing rituals inspired by "tea culture and natural balance." 

"At Tea Spa, our mission is to create a haven of peace where everyone can find moments of deep serenity," Tea Spa CEO Cathy Shao says. "My journey through nursing school revealed the incredible power of professional massage therapy, inspiring me to share this healing art with a broader audience, which led to the birth of Tea Spa. In the last decade, my path as an energy healer has strengthened my belief in the link between inner peace and mindful living. As the caretaker of Tea Spa, I am dedicated to assembling a team of service providers who embody generosity, tranquility, and vibrant positivity. With each healing touch, we strive to make the world a better place, one person at a time."

Dinty Moore Beef Stew recalled due to wood in cans

Dinty Moore Beef Stew is usually one of the best canned products you can buy. But not one recent batch. Manufacturer Hormel has announced a recall of 20-ounce metal cans of the product with “BEST BY Feb 2028” and lot code “T02045” printed on the can. That lot code may also have an additional number at the end on your can. You will also see establishment number “EST 199G” printed on the can. The recall is nationwide.

Hormel received three consumer complaints reporting pieces of wood in the beef stew product. So far, there have been no confirmed reports of injury from the foreign material. Hormel can be contacted with questions and concerns at 800-523-4635.

NIST awards potential $1.5 million to develop regenerative medicine curricula

Gaithersburg's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has awarded a potential $1.5 million to two organizations, with the goal of developing regenerative medicine standards curricula. Brammer Bio, LLC, and Gaithersburg's own Standards Coordinating Body (SCB) for Gene, Cell and Regenerative Medicines and Cell-Based Drug Discovery, will each receive $250,000 per year, with the option to renew for up to three addition years of funding. 

Regenerative medicine includes cell therapy, gene therapy, and therapeutic tissue engineering. It relies on the human body's own healing abilities to regenerate or replace damaged organs, cells, and tissue. As a rapidly-growing field in medicine and research, regenerative medicine is a promising new avenue in preventing, treating, and curing cancer and genetic disorders.

NIST was charged by the U.S. Congress last year to help develop the regenerative medicine workforce of the future. It oversaw a competitive process earlier this year, through which the two winning organizations were identified. Now these organizations will endeavor to create training programs on the standards, protocols, and measurements that will provide a foundation for the field going forward.

“We are thrilled to announce our new partnerships to develop an innovative standards education program, paving the way for flexible and immersive learning experiences that support advanced biomanufacturing,” Sheng Lin-Gibson, chief of NIST’s Biosystems and Biomaterials Division, said in a statement this morning. “These educational programs will facilitate the adoption of standards and best practices to increase quality and consistency of advanced therapies and ultimately bring down costs.”

Photo courtesy Robert Rathe/NIST

Signage installed at Prime IV in Gaithersburg

The sign is up at Prime IV, opening soon at 117 Commerce Square Place at Kentlands Market Square in Gaithersburg. Prime IV offers IV hydration and vitamin drips, injections, oxygen treatment and massage chairs. Various levels of membership up to VIP status will be available. Prime IV is expanding to several new locations in Montgomery County; their first, that is already open, is in downtown Bethesda.

Jessa Medical Supply relocates in Gaithersburg

New location

Jessa Medical Supply has relocated its Gaithersburg store - but not far. It has moved from 112 Market Street to 235 Kentlands Boulevard. That is the former Loyal Companion space, next to Supertooth. The new location is scheduled to open for business today, Thursday, February 1, 2024.

Old location cleared out Wednesday ahead
of today's opening in the new storefront

Concentra Urgent Care clinic to open at Walnut Hill Shopping Center in Gaithersburg

Concentra Urgent Care will open a new Gaithersburg clinic location at the Walnut Hill Shopping Center. It will be located in a portion of the former Weis Markets grocery store building, which it will now share with new anchor tenant Aldi. The center's property owner is also marketing a new "junior anchor" space on the lower level below Aldi and Concentra. Concentra's lease, and plan to share the supermarket space with Aldi, were first reported by The MoCo Show.

Outpatient mental health center to open in Gaithersburg

A new outpatient mental health center is scheduled to open this summer in Gaithersburg. SunCloud Health will open the facility at 501 N. Frederick Avenue, Suite 308. It will offer a partial hospitalization program (PHP), an intensive outpatient program (IOP), and outpatient therapy. The center will treat adults of all genders with co-occurring mood disorders, eating disorders, addiction, and trauma.

"I am excited and grateful for the opportunity to bring our integrative and patient-centered approach to the DMV area, which has always felt like home given its cultural richness and diversity," Dr. Eleanor Annan, Medical Director of SunCloud Gaithersburg, said in a statement. "It has been an honor and a thoroughly gratifying experience to work with talented individuals dedicated to helping patients become the healthiest and best versions of themselves with an approach that centers their needs and is fundamentally based on deep knowledge of who they are as individuals."

"We are grateful for the privilege of expanding the reach of our services to Maryland under the highly qualified leadership of Dr. Eleanor Annan," SunCloud Health CEO and Chief Medical Officer Kim Dennis, MD said today. "We are delighted to give more people access to our unique, fully integrated clinical model. We will continue to honor the unique biology, life experiences, and preferences of each individual who comes for care. As a trauma-informed treatment center, we value the healing power of connection and community in supporting folks from all walks of life in healing together. We are interested in long heath and sustainable, equitable provision of high-quality care."

Gaithersburg cancels several events due to poor air quality

The Washington, D.C. area, including Montgomery County, is under a Code Red air quality alert due to smoke drifting south from Canadian wildfires. As a result, the City of Gaithersburg has canceled several outdoor events that were scheduled for today or tonight, Thursday, June 29, 2023. Canceled are the Casey Farmers Market, and the Evenings in Olde Towne Concert. 

The Serenity Spot offers stress-free quiet time at Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg

The Serenity Spot is now open at Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg. A quiet spot away from dining and shopping activity at the Peterson Cos. development, The Serenity Spot was created in cooperation with Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center's Behavioral Health department. It is intended to be a quiet area for "mindfulness and meditation featuring visually stimulating artwork, native landscaping, comfortable solitary seating, a guided mindfulness/meditation playlist curated by Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center Behavioral Health professionals and more than 200 hand painted Kindness Rocks decorated by Locally Crafted Shop and community members with uplifting messages," Peterson Cos. said in a press release.

A QR code posted at The Serenity Spot will give visitors instant access to an online playlist of guided meditations and positive affirmations. “Caring for the mind and the spirit is central in Shady Grove Medical Center’s mission and The Serenity Spot takes mental healing beyond our walls and into a gathering place for our community,” Kandy McFarland, vice president for Behavioral Health Services at Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center, said in a statement. “The Serenity Spot is a reminder that, during our busy lives, making space for mental health moments is an essential part of maintaining one’s overall health. We are delighted to partner with rio on this special space."

In a pandemic and end-stage capitalist world, this seems like an idea whose time has come, in an age of maximum stress and anxiety. Serenity now!

Montgomery County now collecting durable medical equipment at Shady Grove Transfer Station

Do you have medical equipment you no longer need, and is just taking up space in your home? Now it can be put to use for less-fortunate residents in need of it. Montgomery County is now collecting durable medical equipment at the Shady Grove Transfer Station at 16101 Frederick Road (MD 355) in Derwood. "Gently-used" wheelchairs, canes, shower chairs, and other commonly-used medical equipment will be accepted, and will be refurbished and donated to residents who need it. The new initiative has been made possible by the Montgomery County Department of the Environment's entry into the Maryland Department of Aging’s Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Re-Use program.

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich

“There is an ongoing need for medical equipment in our County,” Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich said in a statement. “Many of us have medical equipment in our basements, garages or attics that is no longer used, but is too good to throw away. This program helps our County’s efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle, while providing critical assistance to those in need. I encourage everyone to donate if they have any equipment that can still be used. This program isn’t just helping our planet—it is also helping our neighbors.”

Technicians from Maryland DME Re-Use take the donated equipment to a 56,000-square-foot facility located in Cheltenham in Prince George's County. There, it is sanitized, repaired and stored for future distribution. Equipment that is beyond repair will be broken down for parts that are saved and later used, rather than going into the trash.

To find out more about Maryland DME Re-Use, including collection site locations, acceptable donations or how to apply to receive durable medical equipment, go to dme.maryland.gov, call 240-230-8000 or email dme.mdoa@maryland.gov.

Gaithersburg's Emergent BioSolutions gets thumbs-up from FDA committees on OTC use of NARCAN

Emergent BioSolutions and its stockholders have received promising news from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Two FDA committees voted unanimously to approve over-the-counter use of the company's NARCAN nasal-spray, which can be administered to patients suffering from an opioid overdose. If the FDA gives final approval, NARCAN will be the first 4 mg naloxone nasal spray to become available to consumers as an over-the-counter product in the United States. 

"This favorable recommendation marks another important step forward to broaden access to NARCAN Nasal Spray for those who may be at risk of an opioid overdose,” Paul Williams, SVP and Products Business Head, Emergent BioSolutions, said in a statement yesterday. “Today’s vote reaffirms our confidence in the safe and effective use of NARCAN in the community setting. We want to thank the participants in the open public hearing who shared their insights and personal experiences informing the need to make NARCAN more readily available over the counter.” With the fentanyl crisis and pandemic alone, what a few years it has been for Montgomery County's biotech sector, the lone bright spot in a stagnant county economy.

The Joint to open Montgomery Village clinic

No, it's not a dispensary or a private prison. The Joint is a chiropractic clinic that accepts walk-in appointments, and has franchisees in many states. One is coming soon to 19142 Montgomery Village Avenue in the Montgomery Village Center. How soon? The company's Google listing says August 2022.

The Joint touts initial visits that cost only $29. Further single visits are $45 apiece. Plans and packages are also available. The Joint treats neck and back pain, migraines, joint pain and chronic conditions. They are open nights and weekends for convenience.

ATI Physical Therapy coming to Montgomery Village

ATI Physical Therapy is coming to Montgomery Village. The physical therapy practice chain has leased space at 9156 Rothbury Drive, in the Goshen Plaza shopping center. That space was formerly home to Pet Valu.

Revive opens at Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg

Revive, an intravenous wellness bar (IV bar), has opened at Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg. They are located at 26-A Grand Corner Avenue. Revive will directly inject IV vitamin cocktails, shots and boosters into your bloodstream to "maximize health, prevent illness and reverse disease." They also offer hormone replacement, cryotherapy and medical aesthetic services.

Revive DMV coming to Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg

A team of men was working late into the night at Revive DMV at Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg Monday evening. They are converting the space at 26-A Grand Corner Avenue into an "intravenous wellness bar." 

When open, Revive DMV will directly inject IV vitamin cocktails, shots and boosters into your bloodstream to "maximize health, prevent illness and reverse disease." They will also offer hormone replacement, cryotherapy and medical aesthetic services. Finally, a new business with good timing!

Maryland Gov. limits travel to essential purposes only, requires out-of-state travelers to quarantine or provide negative test

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) held a press conference late this afternoon, announcing several executive orders and coronavirus protocol directives. Hogan announced he is lowering the state's public gathering limit from 25 people to 10. The governor also issued an emergency order limiting travel to essential purposes only. Travelers from out-of-state (or Marylanders returning from out-of-state) must self-quarantine for 10 days, or provide a negative Covid-19 test, upon arriving in the state. 

Mandatory telework has been proscribed for all state employees who can. Hogan said that starting December 21, front-facing government offices will be temporarily suspending all in-person interactions with the public for two weeks.

Echoing New Zealand's exemption for the Easter Bunny earlier this year, Hogan exempted Santa Claus, elves, and reindeer from travel restrictions. He said Dr. Anthony Fauci told him in a Zoom conference earlier today that Santa Claus has immunity to Covid-19.

Hogan said the state will provide $30 million in assistance for restaurants, and $15 million more for entertainment venues, hurt by the pandemic. He also announced $40 million being added to the Temporary Assistance Program, and $40 million to care providers for the developmentally disabled.

The governor asked residents to do their part to reduce the spread of the virus, and to look forward to "a better, healthier and happier 2021."

Supertooth dental office renovated in the Kentlands

Supertooth Dental Group has renovated its Kentlands Dental Care office at 237 Kentlands Boulevard. The office reopened on October 27, 2020. Appointments are now available.

Ideal Image coming to Downtown Crown in Gaithersburg

Ideal Image, a medspa offering a variety of non-invasive aesthetic treatment services, is coming to Downtown Crown in Gaithersburg. It will be located next to Zagg on Crown Park Avenue. Ideal Image is also opening a previously-announced location at Bethesda Row.

Maryland releases draft Covid-19 vaccination plan

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) released a draft of the state's Covid-19 vaccination plan this morning. Like all states, Maryland must submit a plan like this to the federal government for how it will store, distribute and administer any future approved vaccines for the coronavirus.

The Maryland vaccination plan is split into three phases: the initial period when vaccine supply may be minimal and who should have priority to receive it must be determined, a second phase when large amounts become available and there is a more general rush to administer it to a large number of people, and a third, ongoing phase when one or more Covid-19 vaccines continue to be distributed like a flu shot in the future.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R)

The Maryland Department of Health Center for Immunization (CFI) will orchestrate the operational side of implementing the plan. MDH's Office of Preparedness and Response (OP&R) will focus on planning, coordination and logistical matters. And other MDH programs and agencies such as the Maryland Emergency Management Agency and Maryland State Police will take on other roles "as the operational needs evolve," the plan draft states.

Will you, the average Montgomery County citizen, be one of the first to receive a Covid-19 vaccine? No, according to the plan. In phase one, only high-risk members of the population and workers at hospitals, long term care (LTC) and skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) are anticipated to be vaccinated. 

The plan states that two doses of the potential vaccine(s) will likely be required, with a period of three or more weeks between shots. Maryland plans to use its PrepMod and Maryland MyIR online portals to send recipients a reminder that it is time to come in for the second dose. PrepMod will also initially be the main vaccine management system, 

PrepMod is an online clinic management and appointment scheduling system. It is used by Maryland local health departments to conduct mass vaccination drives and vaccinations at school-located clinics. Maryland's ImmuNet will play a central role as the one-stop shop for health care providers to register as an official Covid-19 vaccine provider, order their vaccine supplies, track vaccine deliveries, report doses administered, and to determine scheduling of second doses.

Maryland's first priority in public messaging when a vaccine becomes available will be assuring the public that it is a safe and effective vaccine. Public communication will then emphasize vaccination of the most-vulnerable first, and then the general population.

One of the other key points covered in the report is the necessary training of providers in the handling, storage and administration of this new vaccine or vaccines. This training will have to be rapid. Among the required training efforts, Maryland plans to utilize state, federal and CDC materials and webinars to get providers up to speed quickly.

Curaleaf Montgomery Village dispensary to open in January 2021

A Curaleaf medical marijuana dispensary at 10011 Stedwick Road in Montgomery Village is now scheduled to open in January 2021. In an interesting twist, the dispensary business is already for sale before it has even opened. It is being marketed with the twin advantages of marijuana dispensaries having been deemed essential businesses not subject to pandemic shutdowns, and the fact that medical marijuana use has soared to record levels during the pandemic. The asking price is $3,053,500, and the building has a ten-year lease.