After weeks of increases, the percentage of positive COVID-19 cases at LincolnHealth has dipped by 3.52%, but is still relatively high at 12.68%, hospital spokesperson John Martins said by email.
“As we’ve written a few times during the last few years, one week does not make a trend, but we are hopeful that this short run of increases has passed,” Martins wrote. “With more people gathering in public places and not wearing a mask or social distancing, it’s difficult to predict the future with COVID-19.”
The number of monthly tests for COVID-19 performed in April, 670, is the highest since January, when the virus was at its peak, Martins said.
Anyone can walk in to any Lincoln Medical Partners primary care office and receive vaccination shots, Martins said. One can establish an appointment at vaccine.mainehealth.org and they do not have to be a patient of Lincoln Medical Partners.
He said demand for booster shots of the vaccine, especially the second booster has been low.
MaineHealth, the health system of which LincolnHealth belongs to, is maintaining a database of COVID-19 information that can be accessed online here: mainehealth.org/Coronavirus-COVID-19/what-to-do.
The health system also recommends staying home when sick, testing for COVID-19 in the event of symptoms or contact with a COVID-19-positive person, and seeking care when necessary.
According to Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention data through May 3, since COVID-19 arrived in Lincoln County in March 2020, 5,464 residents have had the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus – 4,621 confirmed cases and 843 probable.
Deaths in county residents held steady at 35.
Lincoln County has a “moderate to high” rate of vaccine doses administered per 100,000 residents relative to other counties in the state at 217,791.77.
The number does not represent fully vaccinated individuals and, since the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines both require two doses, the number can be higher than 100,000.
The census data for Lincoln County provided by the Maine CDC lists a population of 34,634. Of those residents, 26,603, or 76.81%, have received their first dose of the vaccine and 21,538, or 78.79%, have received the second and final dose, according to the agency’s data.
A total of 75,430 doses of vaccine have been administered, up 711 doses from last week. Those counted in the final dose category have either received the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or the single shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
There have been 21,538 additional or booster shots given to Lincoln County residents.
The vaccine is being provided through all of LincolnHealth’s primary care practices, as well as a booster of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Call the MaineHealth Vaccine Assistant at 1-877-780-7545 or visit vaccine.mainehealth.org to make an appointment.
According to a database maintained by the Maine CDC, vaccine appointments can be requested at Hannaford in Damariscotta, Walgreens in Damariscotta and Boothbay Harbor, and Wiscasset Family Medicine.
Patients of Sheepscot Valley Health Center in Coopers Mills can call 549-7581 to make an appointment for a vaccine.
To schedule an appointment at Hannaford, go to hannaford.com/pharmacy/covid-19-vaccine.
To schedule an appointment at Walgreens, go to walgreens.com/schedulevaccine or call 1-800-WALGREENS.
To schedule an appointment at Wiscasset Family Medicine, call 207-882-6008.
According to Johns Hopkins University’s Coronavirus Resource Center, the seven-day average positivity rate for Maine is 8.02%, up from 5.92% last week.
State COVID-19 numbers
According to data current as of May 3, the Maine CDC has reported 243,128 COVID-19 cases in Maine, an increase of 4,971 from the week before. Of those cases, 68,382 are probable.
There have been 4,767 hospitalizations in the state. There have been 2,296 deaths so far from COVID-19 in Maine, including 14 reported in the last week. The statewide case rate is 1,853.7 per 10,000 people, up from 1,816.6 last week.
