LincolnHealth spokesperson John Martins said by email that the continuing influx of COVID-19 cases is having an impact on the hospital’s occupancy, similar to what other hospitals across the state are facing.
“COVID, staffing shortages, and patients awaiting discharge to places they would receive the care they need (like nursing home care, behavioral health), are waiting for placement, but those facilities have no capacity either,” Martins wrote.
Martins said that LincolnHealth is actively recruiting and planning a hiring fair for November where people can get job offers on the spot.
Between Oct. 10 and Oct. 17, LincolnHealth tested 561 individuals for COVID-19 with 46 positive results, for a positivity rate of 8.2%, up from 6.9% last week.
The number of “breakthrough cases” in fully vaccinated individuals dropped to eight, 17% of the total positive cases, and 16 of the positive results were in people under 18 years of age.
Martins said that LincolnHealth is preparing to deliver boosters of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and administer shots to those between ages 5 and 11, once the vaccine is approved for these uses.
“Details regarding how these vaccines will be delivered will be finalized in the coming week,” Martins wrote.
After two weeks of decreases in weekly COVID-19 case counts in Lincoln County residents, new cases have spiked to 65 in the past week—up from 53 cases last week and 66 the week prior.
According to Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention data current as of Tuesday, Oct. 19, since COVID-19 arrived in Lincoln County in March 2020, 1,751 residents have had the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus — 1,427 confirmed cases and 324 probable.
An estimate of the number of people with an active infection of COVID-19 can be made using the number of cases identified in the past two weeks, 118, down slightly from 119 last week and 195 the week prior.
According to a graph maintained by the Bangor Daily News, as of Tuesday, Oct. 19, masking is recommended in Lincoln County and every other county in Maine.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending that people wear face coverings indoors if there is “substantial transmission” of the coronavirus in a county, defined as a weekly case rate of 50 or more cases per 100,000 people.
According to Maine CDC data current as of Tuesday, for the total population, Lincoln County has a “moderate to high” rate of vaccine doses administered per 100,000 residents relative to other counties in the state at 144,251.31.
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, according to Robert Long, spokesperson for the Maine CDC.
The census data for Lincoln County provided by the Maine CDC lists a population of 34,634. Of those residents, 23,613, or 68.18%, have received their first dose of the vaccine and 25,110, or 72.5%, have received the second and final dose, according to the agency’s data.
A total of 49,960 doses of vaccine have been administered, up 577 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 1,237 additional or booster shots given to Lincoln County residents.
The vaccine is being provided through all of LincolnHealth’s primary care practices, as well a booster of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
According to a database maintained by the Maine CDC, vaccine appointments can be requested at Hannaford in Damariscotta, Walgreens in Damariscotta and Boothbay Harbor, Nathan’s Pharmacy in Boothbay Harbor, and Community Pharmacy in Waldoboro.
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 Community Pharmacy, go to communityrx.com/covid-19.
To schedule an appointment at Nathan’s Pharmacy, call 315-2280.
According to Johns Hopkins University’s Coronavirus Resource Center, the seven-day average positivity rate for Maine is 8.64%, up from 7.27% last week.
According to the U.S. CDC, the seven-day average positivity rate for this past week is 5.7%, down from 6.1% last week.
State COVID-19 numbers
According to data current as of Tuesday, the Maine CDC has reported 99,256 COVID-19 cases in Maine, an increase of 3,423 from the week before. Of those cases, 28,526 are probable.
There have been 2,691 hospitalizations in the state. There have been 1,109 deaths so far from COVID-19 in Maine, including 26 reported in the last week. The statewide case rate is 741.6 per 10,000 people, up from 716 last week.
The number of new cases identified in the past two weeks is 14,100, down from 18,186 last week and 11,417 the week prior.
