LincolnHealth saw its lowest COVID-19 positivity rate in months this past week, continuing a downward trend in positive cases, spokesperson John Martins said by email.
From March 28 through April 3, the hospital saw 11 positive cases out of 293 tests, for a positivity rate of 3.75%, down from 5.57% last week.
“It’s hard to believe that 10 weeks ago, we had a 26% positivity rate,” Martins wrote.
He did note that the total number of people being tested has trended up over the last three weeks.
“We recognize that trends can change quickly and we are watching the numbers closely,” Martins wrote. “We have seen an uptick in positive cases and COVID-19 tests the past few days.”
Second booster shots of the COVID-19 vaccine are now available for people 50 years or older and immune-compromised individuals who had the first booster shot at least four months ago.
“If you qualify for a second booster, of it you need to get vaccinated or boosted for COVID-19 please go to vaccine.mainehealth.org to schedule, or call your primary care physician,” Martins wrote. “All COVID-related vaccinations are being delivered at primary care offices.”
The booster clinic at the Watson Health Center on the Miles Campus is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday for appointments and walk-ins. Booster appointments can be made at vaccine.mainehealth.org or by calling 877-780-7545. Those registering will need to provide the date of their last COVID-19 shot.
Those who received a Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine are eligible for a booster shot six months after their initial series. For those who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, booster shots are recommended after two or more months.
Pediatric COVID-19 vaccinations are available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday in the Lincoln Medical Partners Primary Care Office in Damariscotta. Pediatric patients do not need to schedule special appointments.
Pfizer’s vaccine for children ages 5-11 is available in a two-dose series and is administered in a lower dose than the vaccine for adolescents and adults. Just like adults, doses will be administered 21 days apart.
According to Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention data through April 5, since COVID-19 arrived in Lincoln County in March 2020, 5,181 residents have had the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus – 4,371 confirmed cases and 810 probable.
There have been no COVID-19-related deaths reported in the last week, leaving the total at 32 in the county.
Lincoln County has a “high” rate of vaccine doses administered per 100,000 residents relative to other counties in the state at 217,983.98.
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, 26,489, or 76.48%, have received their first dose of the vaccine and 27,798, or 80.26%, have received the second and final dose, according to the agency’s data.
A total of 72,120 doses of vaccine have been administered, up 529 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 17,833 additional or booster shots given to Lincoln County residents, up 66 doses from last week.
The vaccine is being provided through all of LincolnHealth’s primary care practices, as well as 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 4%, up from 3.73% last week.
State COVID-19 numbers
According to data current as of April 5, the Maine CDC has reported 236,985 COVID-19 cases in Maine, an increase of 1,401 from the week before. Of those cases, 65,370 are probable.
There have been 4,582 hospitalizations in the state. There have been 2,208 deaths so far from COVID-19 in Maine, including seven reported in the last week. The statewide case rate is 1.770.7 per 10,000 people, up from 1,760.2 last week.
