Maine CDC reports 128 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday ahead of busy vaccination week
Mar. 1—Maine health officials reported 128 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, with no additional deaths, as the state prepares for its busiest vaccination week to date.
Monday's numbers continue a trend of lower case counts since a surge around the winter holidays. The seven-day is now 167 cases, down slightly from 183 two week ago and down from 357 this time last month. Cases peaked at more than 600 cases per day, on average, in mid-January.
Since the pandemic reached Maine nearly one year ago, there have now been 44.762 confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19 and 703 people have died with the virus.
The number of people hospitalized in Maine with COVID-19 dropped to 62 on Monday, the lowest total since Nov. 11. Of those, 20 were in critical care and eight were on a ventilator. The number of hospitalizations has been falling steadily since peaking at 207 on Jan. 13.
As cases and hospitalizations fall, vaccinations continue to ramp up. The state could administer more than 50,000 shots this week alone, up from 18,000 per week a few weeks ago. As of Monday, 228,724 people had received their first dose, about 17 percent of the state's population, while 121,566 people, or 9 percent, had been fully inoculated.
Later this week, Maine will open up eligibility to resident between the age of 60 and 69 as part of a new age-based strategy for vaccinations going forward, which was announced Friday. The state has been prioritizing health care workers and first responders, as well residents age 70 and older.
To help increase Maine's vaccination capacity, two mass vaccination clinics are opening this week, one at the Portland Expo operated by Northern Light Health and a second clinic run by MaineHealth to be located at the former Marshall's building in Sanford.
Maine already was scheduled to receive 39,060 doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccine before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Saturday issued emergency use authorization to a third COVID-19 vaccine, made by Johnson & Johnson. Shortly after the authorization, Gov. Janet Mills announced that the state would place an initial order for 11,500 doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which unlike the other two options requires only one dose.
"The FDA's emergency authorization of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine expands vaccination options for Maine people," Maine CDC director Dr. Nirav D. Shah said in a statement. "Because it's fully effective with one shot and does not require ultra-cold storage, some of the challenges we faced when previous vaccines were approved will not be a factor as we distribute this vaccine to sites throughout Maine."
State officials said the additional doses will allow emergency medical services to set up new clinics in York County, allow Redington Fairview Hospital in Farmington to expand access in Somerset County. It also will allow coalitions of health care providers to vaccinate older Mainers in Washington, Aroostook, and northern Penobscot counties. Complete details of the distribution will be posted on Maine's COVID-19 vaccination website on March 1.
This story will be updated.
