As the COVID-19 situation and local vaccination efforts continue to evolve, we would like to share some updates from your local community health system.
Lois Skillings
Maine continues to move in a positive trend with decreased COVID-19 hospitalizations and incidence in our communities. The number of inpatients at Mid Coast Hospital is dramatically lower when compared with recent months, and hospitalizations throughout the state are down significantly since the late fall surge. We are grateful for this reprieve, but we recognize that it is now a race to get people vaccinated in hopes of curtailing future surges.
In addition to continuing to follow the Maine CDC’s safety guidelines, we know that the best thing we can do to keep additional surges at bay is to continue our widespread vaccination efforts in the community. We are grateful for our ongoing partnership with the Town of Brunswick to use the Brunswick Parks & Recreation facility for a large-scale regional vaccination clinic, as well as the many staff and volunteers who have worked tirelessly toward this cause.
To date, Mid Coast Hospital has administered more than 20,000 COVID-19 vaccinations, with more than 8,100 community members receiving both first and second doses of the vaccine. As a whole, Maine is doing very well with vaccination efforts, with almost 70% of individuals over the age of 70 vaccinated.
Last week, the state of Maine announced a change in COVID-19 vaccine eligibility, and Maine residents aged 60 and above are now eligible for vaccination. As this next phase opens up, we are prioritizing Maine residents 70 and older who have already pre-registered, and we will also begin scheduling vaccination appointments for residents 60 and over.
To ensure patient and staff safety, vaccination at the Mid Coast Hospital Vaccination Clinic continues to be by appointment only. Anyone in the community, regardless of age or eligibility, can visit www.midcoasthealth.com/vaccine or call (877) 780-7545 to use MaineHealth’s automated COVID-19 Vaccine Assistant, which helps determine eligibility and allows people to pre-register for a vaccine appointment. Once you are eligible and there is an appointment available, you will receive a call back to schedule a vaccine.
Due to high demand and limited vaccine dose supplies, we are only able to schedule vaccine appointments one week in advance. Our goal remains to vaccinate as many people as possible in the shortest amount of time, and at this point, we are only limited by vaccine supply. When we have the supply, we have the potential to schedule 800 appointments a day. As more vaccine becomes available, we are prepared to quickly expand our vaccination efforts.
In addition to providing COVID-19 vaccination to our community, Mid Coast Hospital is here to care for your ongoing and urgent healthcare needs. Your health is important to us, and we would like to remind you of the importance of looking after yourself during this time.
Preventive care is crucial to keeping you well, including mammograms, colonoscopies, and immunizations. We have also reinstated non-urgent and elective surgeries and procedures to help you return to a healthier lifestyle.
Although COVID-19 has understandably caused a lot of anxiety for everyone, know that receiving care at Mid Coast Hospital and Mid Coast Medical Group practices should not be a worry. Our providers and facilities are fully prepared to maintain the health and safety of our patients, staff, and community members, with strict safety protocols in place. These include screening employees and patients upon entrance, universal masking, physical distancing, stringent hand hygiene, and enhanced cleaning routines.
Even though there are many positive developments in our fight against COVID-19, please remember that we are not out of the woods yet. We need to stay vigilant with the safety guidelines we have consistently been following. Please wear a mask over your mouth and nose any time you leave your home. Practice social distancing and avoid unnecessary travel and visits with family and friends outside your household. Keep surfaces clean and practice good hand hygiene.
Thank you for doing your part to help keep our community safe and healthy!
Lois Skillings is the president and CEO of Mid Coast-Parkview Health.
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