Maine reports 36 new cases of COVID-19
Jun. 18—Maine reported 36 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday and no additional deaths, as the state continues to scale back its sweeping vaccination campaign with the closure of the Portland Expo and the FEMA mobile clinic.
The seven-day average of daily new cases continues to drop to levels not seen since October. The average stood at 41.1 on Friday, down from 61.9 a week ago and 214.7 a month ago. At the pandemic's peak in mid-January, cases routinely topped 600 per day.
In an attempt to spur demand for vaccines, which have slowed compared to a spring when many thousands were being immunized every day, Maine has launched the "Don't Miss Your Shot: Vaccinationland Sweepstakes." Vaccinated people are eligible to register for a chance to win what's likely to be a nearly $1 million prize. The prize is based on how many people have gotten at least one dose of a vaccine by July 4.
More than 100,000 registered for a chance to win in the first 24 hours after the sweepstakes was announced. Demand for vaccinations has been weakening over the past several weeks.
In the most recent week, Maine has given 22,978 doses of COVID-19, compared to 33,748 the previous week. In late April, Maine was administering about three times as many doses per week, typically about 90,000 to 95,000 doses weekly as people were flocking to mass vaccination clinics.
But despite flagging demand, Maine is still one of the top states in how quickly it is vaccinating its population. According to the Bloomberg vaccine tracker, Maine is second in the nation to Vermont for fully vaccinating its population, and the top six slots are all the New England states.
Through Friday, 762,189 people have received their final dose of the vaccine in Maine, representing 56.7 percent of the state's 1.3 million population. Since the pandemic began, Maine has recorded 68,753 cases of COVID-19, and 854 deaths.
The mobile vaccination unit — a partnership between the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Maine — is wrapping up after giving more than 10,000 shots since it started April 12 in the parking lot of the Oxford Casino. The mobile unit's last day is Friday in Old Orchard Beach, and previous stops included Windham, Biddeford, Fryeburg, Turner, Waterville, Portland and other locations.
"As a result of the Mobile Vaccination Unit, thousands of people across Maine are now protected against COVID-19," Gov. Janet Mills said in a statement. "We thank FEMA for their partnership in this groundbreaking effort as we continue to make vaccination convenient and accessible to get shots into the arms of as many Maine people as possible."
The Portland Expo mass vaccination site, operated by Northern Light Health, also had its final day on Friday. As demand has waned, the mass vaccination sites that gave shots to many thousands of Mainers have shut down, including previously the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor and Scarborough Downs.
For the sweepstakes, residents 12 and older who have received at least one dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine in Maine since Dec. 15, 2020, may enter for a chance to win. Registration and an email address are required and the deadline to get vaccinated and submit an entry is 11:59 p.m. on June 30.
Entries are being accepted online at maine.gov/covid19/vaccines or by calling the Community Vaccination Line at 888-445-4111. Gov. Janet Mills will announce the winner and the prize amount on the afternoon of July 4.
Also on Friday, Maine reported that 31 people are currently hospitalized for COVID-19, including 15 in critical care.
