AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine is set to receive enough first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for 54,790 people in next week's allocation from the federal government, Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) said in a release Thursday. This is an increase of 9,590 doses the state received for this week's distribution.
Maine DHHS says these numbers don't reflect the doses controlled by the federal government that are sent directly to Walmart/Sam’s Club, Walgreens, Hannaford, and Shaw’s pharmacies, as well as selected federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) in Maine. These doses are typically determined at the end of the week prior to the following week’s distribution.
The state's order, expected to arrive early next week, will include:
- 19,890 doses from Pfizer
- 14,300 doses from Moderna
- 20,600 doses from Johnson & Johnson
Thursday morning, the Maine CDC assured Mainers the state's allocation of Johnson & Johnson is not affected by the reported mix-up at the Maryland-based manufacturing facility.
“The J&J vaccine Maine receives remains safe and effective,” Maine CDC spokesperson Robert Long said in a release.
Currently, Mainers age 50 and older, as well as educators, school staff, and child care workers are eligible for the vaccine. Gov. Janet Mills is expected to announce an update to the vaccination timeline Thursday during the Maine CDC coronavirus briefing at 2 p.m.
Data as of Thursday morning shows 32.41 percent of Maine's population has received at least their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, with 20.61 percent completing their vaccination series (which includes the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine).
"Maine has administered first doses of the COVID-19 vaccines to over one-third of residents ages 50 to 59, and we expect to reach two-thirds of this age group within the next week, " Maine DHHS Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew said in a release. "Our work to reach out to Maine residents who may be hesitant or struggling to get a COVID-19 vaccine continues.”
"A report released this week by the U.S. CDC affirms that the vaccines are safe and effective," Maine CDC Director Dr. Nirav Shah said. “Getting shots into more Maine people’s arms moves us all closer to protecting our state from COVID-19.”
How to get the vaccine
Maine DHHS is offering free rides to and from appointments for people who otherwise would struggle to get to a vaccination site. Additionally, people who don’t have access to the internet or otherwise need help getting an appointment can call the Community Vaccination Line at 1-888-445-4111. It is available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Translation services are available through this line. Deaf and hard of hearing individuals may dial 711 and ask to be connected to the number above. The Vaccination Line does not provide faster access to appointments.
Residents who are not yet eligible for a vaccine can pre-register at VaccinateME.Maine.gov.
Residents who are currently eligible may also pre-register. When a vaccination appointment becomes available to you, you will receive a personal access code that allows you to look for available openings across a number of sites and schedule an appointment. Not all clinics use this system so people should continue to visit Maine’s COVID-19 vaccine website for a full list of sites open to residents.