MARYLAND, March 2 - For Immediate Release: Thursday, February 3, 2022

ROCKVILLE, Md., Feb. 3, 2022 — The featured guests on this week’s En Sintonía con el Concejo del Condado de Montgomery (In Tune with the Montgomery County Council) will include Norma Gamero, situational awareness disaster program specialist at the American Red Cross; Dr. Michelle LaRue, senior manager of health and social services at CASA and member of the Latino Health Initiative and the Salud y Bienestar program, which was spearheaded on the Council by Councilmember Nancy Navarro and Council President Gabe Albornoz; and lastly, Grabriela Romo, psychotherapist. The show will air tomorrow at 2 p.m. on Radio America (WILC 900AM).

The program will begin with an interview discussing the resources offered by the American Red Cross which works closely with Latino communities by providing health and safety services. The organization provides emergency assistance to those affected by small or large disasters, including fire, floods, hurricanes and other disasters. The ultimate goal of the organization is to save lives; therefore, they are closely working with the Latino community to educate residents on how to best prepare for unexpected disasters. Furthermore, the U.S. is currently faced with one of the largest blood shortages within the last decade. Norma Gamero, situational awareness disaster program specialist, will emphasize the critical need for residents to participate in blood drives in their communities.

Moreover, this week Pfizer Inc. requested that the Food and Drug Administration expand the use of its COVID-19 vaccine to children ages six months to five years. Dr. Michelle LaRue, senior manager of health and social services at CASA and member of the Latino Health Initiative will be answering questions and clarifying any misconceptions about the COVID-19 vaccine. In addition, LaRue will discuss how many times an N95 or NK95 mask can be reused. As the pandemic continues to evolve, medical experts continue to advocate for better masks that protect against COVID-19 new variants, with N95 and K95 as the new standards.

Lastly, Montgomery County is experiencing a colder-than-average winter which has severely impacted many low-income residents who have already suffered economically as a result of the pandemic. These financial hardships have prevented many Latino families from acquiring the appropriate clothing to protect themselves and their families from the frigid temperatures. To help those in needs, Gabriela Romo, with the support of the Consulates of Mexico, El Salvador, and Guatemala, have launched, for the second consecutive year, the campaign "Campaña de Abrigos Nuevos." We will discuss this upcoming coat distributions taking place across the Washington metropolitan area.

The Montgomery County Council and Radio America have entered a partnership that provides the Latino community with key information on issues and programs. The partnership also provides a forum for residents to express their views and ask questions. The partnership includes the weekly one-hour show each Friday on the Washington metropolitan area’s most popular Spanish language station.

Each week, the show features host Marcela Rodriguez, Council program manager and public information officer, and guests talking about important issues before the Council and provides information about programs offered by the County to help residents.

Release ID: 22-049 Media Contact: Marcela Rodriguez, 240-777-7807 , Lucia Jimenez 240-777-7832