AUGUSTA, Maine — The state of Maine will receive its largest order to date of COVID-19 vaccine first doses on Thursday, and even more doses could be available next week.
The Maine Centers for Disease Control (CDC) will receive first doses of the vaccine for 30,080 people from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Operation Warp Speed, according to a release from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
The order surpasses the previous week by 2,340 doses.
In addition, 8,980 doses will be distributed from the federal government directly to 24 Walmart and Sam's Club pharmacies and 47 Walgreens pharmacies in Maine. Altogether, the state will receive 39,060 first doses next week, Maine DHHS said.
According to Gov. Janet Mills' office, the Maine DHHS and CDC will soon place a first order for 11,500 doses of the newly authorized Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. These doses are expected to arrive alongside the 39,060 first doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccine.
Cumulatively, 316,462 total doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered through nearly eleven weeks of the vaccine rollout in Maine. Of those, 211,451 have been first doses, and 105,011 have been second/final doses.
Maine remains in Phase 1b of the rollout plan, which focuses on vaccinating those age 70 and older. The state is expected to expand the phase to include those aged 65 and older in coming weeks, with some overlap between age groups.
"Vaccinating at-risk Maine residents in every part of the state remains our focus," Shah said in a release. “But even with the expanded supply, we still have a monumental task ahead of us. As our federal partners ramp up vaccine supply, the best things we can do to keep each other safe are to continue wearing masks, wash hands frequently, keep a safe distance from others, and avoid crowds.”
Watch Thursday's coronavirus briefing here: