AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine CDC Director Dr. Nirav Shah said during Wednesday's coronavirus briefing that the mobile vaccination unit (MVU) making its way around the state will see some changes to its route.
The MVU's tour was originally supposed to run up to the July Fourth holiday weekend, but it will now end its tour in Old Orchard Beach on Friday, June 18.
Shah said the MVU is currently in Calais but will soon head to Madawaska.
After Madawaska, FEMA confirmed with NEWS CENTER Maine the mobile unit will at Rising Tide Brewery when it stops in Portland Thursday, June 10, through Sunday, June 13.
Rising Tide co-owner and Director of Business Operations Heather Sanborn told NEWS CENTER Maine they are "thrilled" to be hosting the mobile unit next week. She said their staff is all fully vaccinated, but they know there are some members of the community and their guests who aren't.
"We are working with FEMA and the Maine CDC to make it extremely easy to just walk up and get a shot," Sanborn said. "We know that getting as many people vaccinated as possible, as quickly as possible, is the key to having a great summer and keeping our community healthy as the tourists arrive."
The mobile clinic will then be in Old Orchard Beach at 77 Milliken Street from Tuesday, June 15, through Friday, June 18, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
In mid-May, the Maine CDC had said that the MVU would visit Pittsfield, Rumford, Rangeley, Limington, and Kittery between June 9 and July 2. Shah said the change to the MVU's schedule is all about getting as many shots in arms as possible.
"The mobile vaccination unit can administer up to 500 shots a day and we want to position it in places in the state where it can be doing just that," he said. "In short, we are sending the MVU to places in the state where people will be."
Another example of the Maine CDC's targeted vaccination outreach to southern Maine is its community-based clinics in the Portland area, which started with a clinic at Becky's Diner on Wednesday, June 2, and Thursday, June 3.
MaineHealth has also been offering clinics at area school districts, and said it plans to offer future community-based vaccination clinics with other partners. One of those includes the Portland House of Music at 25 Temple Street on July 7 and 12 from 8-11 p.m. That clinic will be for people 18 years and older, as it will also be offering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.