AUGUSTA, Maine — The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) is ordering enough first doses of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for 33,500 people.
Maine CDC's order, expected to arrive early next week, will include 17,550 doses from Pfizer and 15,950 doses from Moderna for distribution starting March 8. Additionally, vaccination sites continue to receive and administer the second dose for those vaccinated with these vaccines through a separate distribution process.
The new order will send 30,000 first doses to hospitals, 1,800 to independent pharmacies, and 2,870 to outpatient groups.
While the doses for both Pfizer and Moderna increased for next week over this week’s allotment, no doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be included. As a result, the overall number of doses will decrease by 8,080 for the week of March 8, not counting doses controlled by the Federal government sent directly to certain pharmacies and clinics.
Maine has stopped sending additional vaccines to the retail pharmacy program operated by the U.S. CDC and has redistributed 1,170 doses from this program to other Maine providers.
Combined with the previous orders, Maine expects to have enough to vaccinate approximately 329,055 people in the first 13 weeks of distribution, not counting next week’s pharmacy or FQHC doses.
The dashboard on Maine’s COVID-19 vaccination website shows that 18.2 percent of Mainers have gotten their first doses, including 69 percent of Maine residents age 70 and older.
Currently, Maine residents age 60 and older are eligible to be vaccinated. Additionally, Maine teachers, school staff, and child care workers can get vaccinated.
