Maine health officials reported 225 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, but no additional deaths as the state’s busiest vaccination week draws to a close.
This is the fourth time in the past three weeks that daily cases have exceeded 200 – another reminder that the transmission does not disappear immediately with the increase in vaccinations.
And vaccinations are expected to slow down next week after a few weeks of steady increase. Maine learned on Thursday that the allocation of vaccines for next week will be significantly less. That news comes just as teachers and childcare staff are eligible and joining residents 60 and older.
Maine will receive a total of 33,500 doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccine, but none from Johnson & Johnson, which delivered 15,000 doses to Maine this week. The state can still get additional doses that go directly to retail pharmacies as part of an agreement with the federal government, but the grants have not yet been finalized. This week, more than 55,000 doses arrived in Maine – the highest weekly total to date.
Waterboro’s Chuck Rich was vaccinated by David Garriepy on Tuesday at a vaccination clinic in MaineHealth, Sanford. Gregory Rec / Staff Photographer
The seven-day daily case average increases slightly and stands at 167 on Friday, compared to 138 cases two weeks ago, or one incubation period ago. This time last month, the cases averaged nearly 300, and cases peaked at more than 600 daily in mid-January. Although cases have dropped dramatically since the boom after the holidays, there is a flattening in many countries, causing concern that the public may be relaxed before vaccines get a chance to work.
In total, there have been 4,5452 confirmed or probable cases in Maine since March and 704 people died with COVID-19, according to data tracked by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Hospitalizations were not updated Friday morning, but as of Thursday, 69 individuals were in the hospital with COVID-19, including 23 in critical care and eight in a ventilator. Hospitalizations have also leveled off in the past two weeks – from 62 to a high of 75 – after reaching a high of more than 200 in mid-January.
The state administered 391,148 vaccinations as of Friday morning. Of these, 253,135 were first doses, accounting for nearly 19 percent of the state’s population, and 138,013 people were fully vaccinated, or just over 10 percent of the population. About 72 percent of the Mainers older than 70 have now received one shot.
Henceforth, individuals receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, who have one shot, will be fully vaccinated in the category. The vaccines manufactured by Pfizer and Moderna require two shots, which are taken 3-4 weeks apart.
According to a state-by-state detection of vaccination efforts by Bloomberg News, Maine has slipped over the past few weeks and is now in the bottom half of the states with 24.89 shots per 100 people. Maine was in the top-10 last month.
Maine CDC director Nirav Shah acknowledged the disturbing trend on Thursday and said he was working to find out why it was happening. But he also said that the growing number of vaccination options – both large-scale and pharmacy-sized – should help improve the effectiveness of vaccinations.
Teachers and childcare staff have been eligible for vaccinations this week following President Biden’s mandate to countries to prioritize teachers. They join residents between the ages of 60 and 69. There are approximately 52,000 teachers and child care staff in Maine, as well as nearly 200,000 residents in their 60s.
For the time being, retail pharmacies have been instructed to offer appointments exclusively for teachers and childcare staff.
Government Janet Mills is expected to speak at a news conference Friday at 11 a.m. about her updated plans to protect public health and support Maine’s economy through the state’s busy spring and summer tourism season. The governor is accompanied by Shah, Commissioner for Economic and Community Development, Heather Johnson, and Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Jeanne Lambrew.
Mills and Shah also plan to tour MaineHealth’s mass vaccination center at Scarborough Downs on Friday afternoon.
This story will be updated.
“Previous
Bill Nemitz: New and improved democracy – so easy that you can do it in your pajamas
Next »
Related stories
Invalid username / password.
Check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Use the form below to reset your password. After you submit your account email, we will send you an email with a refund code.