Gov. Janet Mills received her first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, her office announced.

Mills was vaccinated as part of Phase 1A as “a person critical to Maine’s COVID-19 response.” Her administration updated guidelines just this week to include that group, as well as public safety officials, in the first phase.

The Democrat, who is 73, was administered the first dose of Moderna’s vaccine by Dr. James Jarvis, COVID-19 incident commander for Northern Light Health, the parent company of Eastern Maine Medical Center, Mercy Hospital and others. Mills will receive her second dose in 28 days, her office said.

“I have the utmost confidence in the vaccine,” she said in a statement. “It is safe. It is effective. And it will save lives.

“I want to thank Dr. Jarvis, and every medical provider across the state, who are working day and night to take care of Maine people and ensure that every dose of vaccine we get ends up in the arms of Maine people. My administration will continue to work hard in the coming days, weeks, and months to take whatever supply of vaccine we receive from the federal government, turn it around quickly and efficiently, and make sure as many Maine people as possible are vaccinated.”

Her vaccination came exactly one month after the first person in Maine – an ICU nurse at Maine Medical Center in Portland – was vaccinated. As of Friday, 59,611 individuals had gotten their first dose and 10,617 people had received both doses.

Mills had to quarantine in December after she was exposed to COVID-19 by a member of her security detail, but she did not contract the virus.

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