Steve Damien of Auburn receives his COVID-19 vaccination Wednesday from registered nurse Jennifer Jordan at the Auburn Mall. Damien was the first person to receive a shot at the region’s first mass vaccination site. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal Buy this Photo
LEWISTON — The rate of Androscoggin County residents who have received their first COVID-19 vaccination still lags behind the state average, but is improving.
As of Tuesday, 25.1% of Androscoggin County residents had received their first vaccination, compared to the state average of 31.7%.
Franklin County’s rate Tuesday was 27.1%; Oxford County was 27.2%.
And while Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention officials announced Tuesday a record number of vaccines is available this week, the Lewiston-Auburn mass vaccination clinic at the Auburn Mall is not getting more than last week.
Dr. Nirav Shah said Tuesday that those eligible — 50-year-olds and older — “this is your week” to get the vaccine because the state has more supply.
However, the amount of vaccine the state is giving to Central Maine Healthcare’s Auburn Mall clinic this week is 2,340, the same number it received for the week of March 22.
In contrast, Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center is receiving 7,120 doses from the state, Portland’s MaineHealth, 12,230 doses.
Asked why the Bangor and Portland hospitals are receiving more than twice as much as Lewiston-Auburn for the only mass clinic in the region, Maine CDC spokesman Bob Long pointed out that the Portland and Bangor hospitals are running multiple clinics in several locations.
And, Long added, “the allocations are based on what clinics tell us they can use.” That said, Long noted that clinics don’t always get the full allotment they ask for each week.
“Also, the Maine Immunization Program reallocates doses to sites where in-week demand exceeds supply, as was the case when doses went from the retail pharmacy programs to Central Maine Healthcare earlier this year,” he said.
Amy Lee, vice president of operations and chief operating officer of Central Maine Medical Group, said Central Maine Healthcare has asked for 1,000 doses per day, but “the state needs to balance the needs around Maine with available resources.”
She said that while the Auburn Mall clinic is not getting enough supply to offer 1,000 shots a day, “we are operating the high-volume vaccination site four days this week, and four days next week.”
The clinic continues to ramp up operations and would be able to administer 1,000 doses or more a day if vaccine supplies allow, she said.
Some large-scale clinics in Augusta, Portland and Bangor have said on social media they have appointments available, but for the Auburn Mall clinic appointments continue to go fast.
Lee said CMH is “glad to be getting vaccine in the arms of Maine people.”
Vicky Wiegman, one of many volunteering to staff the Auburn Mall clinic, said the operation is going well, and people are happy to get their shots. “A giant kudo to CMMC and Healthy Androscoggin,” Wiegman said. “They’re making it happen.”
To book an appointment go to www.cmhc.org/get-covid-vaccine/ or call 207-520-2917.
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