Information session: Gov. Mills will set out new vaccine strategy as Maine has a record 824 COVID-19 effects

Government Janet Mills on Wednesday announced changes to Maine’s strategy for distributing COVID-19 vaccines, shifting the focus to police and firefighters, critical COVID-19 response personnel and also residents 70 years and older.

Public safety officers and COVID response personnel are now part of Phase 1A, which is already underway and includes healthcare workers and residents and staff of long-term care facilities. Older residents are now part of Phase 1B, which is expected to begin in February.

About 193,000 Maine residents are 70 or older, some of whom may already be vaccinated in phase 1A because they are in long-term care facilities or are health workers, the governor’s office said.

“As we distribute the vaccine and adjust our strategy to meet Maine’s needs, my fundamental goal is to save lives,” Mills said in a statement. ‘Maine is predominantly an older state, and we have a large number of people with high-risk medical conditions. These people are exactly who face the greatest risks through the virus. Since they are at greater risk for serious illness or death, it is appropriate to first target the limited amount of vaccine Maine receives to the population. ‘

Vaccinations will only be able to continue as long as stocks last and Maine and other states have not received as many doses as expected.

The announcement comes the same day that state health officials reported a new daily high of 824 cases of COVID-19, along with four additional deaths.

This is the first time Maine has reported more than 800 new cases in one day. There have now been six days of at least 700 cases, all since December 22nd.

The 7-day case rose to 582, compared to 364 cases this time last month and 173 cases two months ago. Since the Maine pandemic reached in March, there have been 31,150 confirmed or probable cases. New cases have been reported in each state, led by 198 in York County, 168 in Cumberland County and 100 in Kennebec County.

Professional pharmacies at CVS are preparing to administer first doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to residents and staff on Saturday at Atria, an older community in Kennebunk. Derek Davis / Staff Photographer

The number of deaths has risen to 453, an increase of almost 200 in the last month alone. Of these, 386 (85 percent) were people who were 70 years or older, although only 13 percent of all positive cases were in the age group. Of the four deaths reported Wednesday, two were in York County and two in Penobscot County.

Hospitalizations were not yet updated Wednesday morning, but as of Tuesday, 203 individuals have been hospitalized in Maine with COVID-19, including 68 in critical care and 27 in a ventilator. Since March, 1201 people have been admitted to hospital at some point.

Mills will chair Wednesday’s media conference at 2 p.m. Nirav Shah, join.

The sustained number of cases comes as the state continues to vaccinate the first phase of individuals – health care workers and residents and staff of long-term care facilities. In addition to the changes announced by Mills on Wednesday, Maine is also considering making changes to state guidelines for administering COVID-19 vaccinations amid nationwide complaints that some hospitals are vaccinating executives and others not directly at patient care. not involved.

According to the CDC, 62,004 vaccines have been administered in Maine since Wednesday, though this is likely to be higher because the pharmacies offering clinics for nursing homes do not have to submit information immediately. Of these, 8,493 were second doses.

The United States has reached the deadliest point of the pandemic. According to Johns Hopkins University, a record 4,327 deaths were reported on Tuesday, driving the U.S. to date more than 380,000 deaths, by far the most of any country.

The number of COVID-19 cases nationwide is about 22.5 million, or nearly 7 percent of the U.S. population.

This story will be updated

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