AUGUSTA — Governor Janet Mills announced early Sunday morning Maine has reached a major milestone in its COVID-19 vaccination effort, with half of Maine people ages 16 and older now having received at least one dose.

This includes 38 percent of eligible Maine residents who have received final doses against the virus.

As reported today on Maine’s COVID-19 vaccination dashboard, 50.15 percent of Maine residents age 16 and older had received at least one dose of vaccine as of the end of Saturday night.

This includes more than 1 in 3 eligible Maine residents who have been fully vaccinated.

To date, 564,281 Maine people have received their first dose of the vaccine, while 427,527 have received a final dose.

Maine currently leads the nation in the percentage of its total population that is fully vaccinated, according to Bloomberg.

Maine prioritized older residents for vaccination, given their increased risk of serious illness or death. To date, more than two-thirds (68 percent) of residents age 50 and older have gotten their first dose and 57 percent have received their final doses.

Moreover, nearly one-third (31 percent) of Maine residents ages 16 to 49 have had their first doses.

Since Maine launched its COVID-19 vaccination effort in mid-December, nearly 1 million (991,808) doses have been administered throughout the state.

All Maine residents ages 16 and older are eligible to be vaccinated.

“This is the biggest vaccination effort in our history and one of the largest logistical challenges in generations. This milestone is a testament to the teamwork of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, the Maine CDC, the Maine National Guard, our health care providers and volunteers across the state, who are working around the clock to protect Maine people from COVID-19,” said Governor Mills. “As a result of their efforts, and because Maine people are rolling up their sleeves to do their part, more than half of Maine residents age 16 and older have now received at least one dose of vaccine, and more than a third are fully vaccinated. We will continue our efforts to vaccinate as many people as quickly as possible. I encourage all everyone to get vaccinated so that we can defeat this virus and its variants and get back to normal as soon as possible.”

“We’re now approaching 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered into the arms of Maine people, a remarkable achievement made possible through our collaboration with health care providers, volunteers, and countless others throughout the state,” said Jeanne Lambrew, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. “While we have more work to do to defeat this virus, and as we seek greater supply of vaccine from the federal government, we thank every Mainer who has gotten a shot and ask them to encourage their friends, family, and neighbors to make an appointment.”

“The COVID-19 vaccines are a vital tool in our fight against the pandemic,” said Dr. Nirav D. Shah, Director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. “This milestone is worthy of recognition and celebration. But we must continue to take the threat of this virus seriously, and continue wearing masks, practice physical distancing, avoid crowds, and stay home if we don’t feel well to protect the health and safety of our loved ones and communities.”

The Mills Administration's ongoing work to expand access to the COVID-19 vaccine includes standing up large-scale and mobile vaccination sites; supporting pop-up clinics for groups including older teachers, adults with developmental disabilities, and marginalized populations; providing vaccine to Federally Qualified Health Centers in under-served areas; dispatching public health nurses to clinics throughout the state to assist at-risk Maine people who cannot easily travel to large-scale community vaccination clinics; and providing in-home vaccination to homebound Maine people.

To make an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine, visit the list of vaccination sites or call the Community Vaccination Line at 1-888-445-4111 Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Translation services are available through this line. Deaf and hard of hearing individuals may dial 711 and ask to be connected to the number above. The Vaccination Line does not provide faster access to appointments.

Because Maine’s supply of vaccine remains limited, appointments may not be immediately available and will be scheduled on a rolling basis. There is no charge for the COVID-19 vaccine, but Maine people should be prepared to provide insurance information at the vaccination clinic. DHHS also offers free rides to and from appointments for people who have transportation issues. If you have an appointment and need a ride, call 1-855-608-5172 at least 48 hours in advance of your appointment.