Mid Coast Hospital is excited that we are now able to offer COVID-19 vaccination to eligible people in our community. With the Maine CDC’s recent guidance to expand COVID-19 vaccination eligibility to people over 70 years of age, we have opened a large-scale regional vaccination clinic at Brunswick Parks & Recreation.

Vaccination will be accessible to all community members who meet the Maine CDC’s current criteria. Together with MaineHealth, we have been working tirelessly to be ready to vaccinate as many of our eligible community members as quickly as possible.

The ability to offer a large-scale clinic in the Midcoast region is critical to turning the tide of the COVID-19 pandemic. Having a central regional vaccine clinic will allow us to safely vaccinate the greatest number of people in the most efficient and safe manner. In this new location, we have the ability to vaccinate 800 people a day. Due to this capability, we aim to be able to offer more individuals vaccination as long as we continue to have vaccine available. In addition to our collaboration with the towns of Brunswick, Topsham, Bath, and Harpswell, our goal is to ensure that everyone in our region — from the Freeport area to Woolwich and in between — has access to the COVID-19 vaccine. Additional MaineHealth COVID-19 vaccination clinics will be available in other regions as well.

To ensure patient and staff safety, vaccination is by appointment only. This will not only prevent long lines, but also allows the clinic to continue to safely and quickly vaccinate large numbers of people. We have implemented a multi-faceted approach to schedule eligible individuals for vaccination. Since we have available contact information, eligible patients of Mid Coast Hospital and Martin’s Point Health Care will receive invitations via email and phone with sign-up instructions and directions. This approach is being done in phases, as appointments and vaccines become available.

In addition to this outreach, anyone in the community can visit www.midcoasthealth.com/vaccine or call (877) 780-7545 to use MaineHealth’s automated COVID-19 Vaccine Assistant, which helps with determining eligibility and allows people to schedule at convenient clinic locations. You may pre-register even if you are not currently eligible for a vaccine. Once you are eligible and there is an appointment available, you will receive a call back, in the order we received your call, to schedule a vaccine. Please be patient, and know that we will reach out to you when an appointment is available.

Please do not contact the hospital or your provider’s office regarding scheduling vaccinations. Help us keep their phone lines open for patients who need them for emergencies or other health needs. You can rely on our website to have the most current vaccination information.

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Please do be aware that scammers might take this vaccination effort as opportunity to approach community members. When we call you to schedule your appointment, we will only ask you to verify your date of birth and provide us with your address. If you are asked for any other information such as your full social security number or payment information, please hang up immediately and alert your local police.

The reality that we can now get vaccinated against COVID-19 offers us the greatest amount of hope that we can actually put an end to the pandemic. However, it is understandable that some people may be concerned about getting vaccinated. While wearing masks and social distancing help reduce your chance of being exposed to the virus or spreading it to others, these measures are not enough. Vaccines will work with your immune system so it will be ready to fight the virus if you are exposed. The more people who are vaccinated, the less community spread of this disease.

With vaccines arriving, hope is here, but we must continue to do all we can to protect ourselves. Mid Coast Hospital encourages everyone, including those who have been vaccinated, to remain vigilant by following the same practices that have prevented the spread of the virus thus far. These ways include wearing a mask over your mouth and nose any time you leave your home, keeping surfaces clean, washing your hands, practicing social distancing, and avoiding unnecessary travel and visits with family and friends outside your household.

Throughout the pandemic and amidst recent surges, Mid Coast Hospital and Mid Coast Medical Group urge patients not to delay needed care. We are available for patients in need of care, including important health screenings and testing, as well as primary and specialty care appointments. Enhanced safety measures include universal masking of patients and staff, extra cleaning of surfaces, segregation of patients known or suspected of having COVID-19, and a daily screening for symptoms of all employees. Additionally, telehealth appointments are often available for those who wish to remain at home.

We know many of you are eager to be vaccinated, and when it is your turn, we urge you to take advantage of this opportunity to protect yourself. The best way to stay up-to-date on our vaccine efforts is to visit www.midcoasthealth.com/vaccine.

Lois Skillings is president of Mid Coast–Parkview Health.

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