STANDISH, Maine — To help break down barriers standing in the way of older adults from getting vaccinated, a recent initiative is ramping up its efforts for the tail-end of flu season in Maine.
Thanks to the recent partnership between Northern Light Health and the five Area Agencies on Aging, the AgeWise Maine Initiative has already offered vaccines for more than 8,000 residents since Summer 2023.
To continue those efforts, pop-up clinics are slated for each corner of the state, from York to Aroostook County.
"We saw a spike in the holidays, and it's starting to subside a bit in late January, but it does seem like we're in the midst of a pretty severe respiratory virus season," Director Carly Williams said of the initiative.
COVID-19 and flu cases are relatively low compared to the height of the pandemic, but Maine still is facing 88 hospitalizations for COVID and 29 for the flu, according to data from the Maine Center for Disease Control.
With older adults above the age of 60 making up 50 percent of COVID cases last year in Maine, Northern Light nurse Cathy Bean Kelley said reaching out to that demographic is a major goal.
"Lot of sickness out there. I think people are starting to realize that they're vulnerable, and so continued access to vaccines is important," Kelley said.
To help make getting vaccinated easier for folks, the initiative is taking a multipronged approach of pop-up clinics, offering home visits and free vaccines for those uninsured.
Vaccine fatigue is another problem, with many putting off getting vaccinated due to "flu season" being almost over. However, nurse Kelley reminds us it's still not too late to be protected, as viruses like COVID are active year-round.
"It's a long season ahead of us. We're in Maine. ... It's cold. We know that outside. And, you know, May, June, July, we can still be seeing cases."
If you are interested in taking advantage of one of the pop-up clinics or at-home visits, you can find a full schedule and request application on the AgeWise Maine website.