Jackson Arbour, 17, of Sabattus stands Wednesday between his mother, Becci Cayer, and stepfather, Loren Cayer, waiting to receive a COVID-19 vaccination at the Auburn Mall clinic. All three got vaccinated. “We are excited that we won’t have to quarantine if we are exposed and we can keep playing sports,” Arbour, the first-baseman for the Oak Hill High School Raiders, said. “Maybe one day he will get to play ball without having to wear a mask,” Loren Cayer said. SSG Ben Farris, left, of the Army National Guard assists. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal Buy this Photo
LEWISTON — The Auburn Mall mass vaccination clinic, administered by Central Maine Healthcare in Lewiston, has not received or given any Johnson & Johnson vaccine and is not impacted by the pause in its rollout, according to officials.
Dr. John Alexander, chief medical officer for Central Maine Healthcare, said the six identified cases of blood clots in women aged 18 to 48 who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are extremely rare.
The early identification of the blood clots by national health experts “is both impressive and important, as we can be reassured that everything that can be done to monitor the safety of individuals receiving COVID-19 vaccine is being done,” Alexander said Tuesday in an email.
While the six cases out of 6.8 million doses nationwide “may seem very unsettling at first, it is important to remember that 562,000 people have died out of the more than 31.3 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States, or one person out of 55 confirmed cases,” he wrote.
The risk of COVID-19, especially to those over age 60, remains very significant, Alexander said. “We encourage everyone to receive the authorized Moderna or Pfizer vaccine as soon as possible.”
Interest remains high in getting a vaccine, with appointments at the Auburn Mall clinic filling up fast, said Amy Lee, vice president and chief operating officer of Central Maine Medical Group.
This week, 4,510 doses will be administered through Saturday, Lee said. Nearly 1,400 shots are expected to be administered Saturday, she said. The clinic is administering either Moderna or Pfizer vaccines.
Appointments “filled up very quickly,” she said. “We’re excited to receive more vaccine, which allows us to expand our capacity,” Lee said in an email.
The public can help get more shots to others, she said. “We urge people to let us know if they are not planning to be at their appointment.”
To book an appointment at the clinic call 207-520-2917 or go to:
www.cmhc.org/get-covid-vaccine/#:~:text=Book%20your%20appointment%20using%20t,at207%2D520%2D2917.
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