AUGUSTA — The Maine Department of Health and Human Services announced Thursday the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) is preparing to place another order for first doses of COVID-19 vaccine, for 30,080 people, to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Operation Warp Speed. This is an increase of 2,340 doses over the previous week’s allotment.

This increased supply of COVID-19 vaccines will be supplemented by 8,980 doses the Federal government will distribute directly to 24 Walmart or Sam’s Club pharmacies and 47 Walgreens pharmacies in Maine.

Altogether, this means 39,060 first doses can be given in Maine next week, about 20 percent more than the previous highest amount of doses coming to Maine.

Potentially more doses could come to Maine if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) grants an emergency use authorization for the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, according to a news release. 

Maine CDC's order reflects the maximum number of doses available to Maine for new vaccines. Maine CDC's order, expected to arrive early next week, will comprise 16,380 doses from Pfizer and 13,700 doses from Moderna for the 12th week of distribution, starting March 1. Additionally, vaccination sites continue receive and administer the second dose for individuals vaccinated with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines through a separate distribution process.

Combined with the previous orders, Maine expects to have enough to vaccinate approximately 257,295 people in the first 12 weeks of distribution, not counting the 8,980 pharmacy doses.

As of February 24 (week 11), 316,462 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been given to health care workers, long-term care residents and staff, and older Mainers, including 211,451 people who have received first doses and 105,011 people who have received second doses.

The dashboard on Maine’s COVID-19 vaccination website shows 15.7 percent of Maine residents have gotten their first doses. This includes 58 percent of Maine residents age 70 and older.

According to the Bloomberg vaccine tracker, Maine ranks 15th among states in the highest percent of first doses administered to its residents.

"The expanded supply of COVID-19 vaccines opens new opportunities to protect the health of Maine residents," said DHHS Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew. "We look forward to working with the many nurses, doctors, pharmacists, and volunteers across the state to roll up sleeves and get even more Maine residents vaccinated."

"Vaccinating at-risk Maine residents in every part of the state remains our focus," said Dr. Nirav D. Shah, Director of the Maine CDC. “But even with the expanded supply, we still have a monumental task ahead of us. As our federal partners ramp up vaccine supply, the best things we can do to keep each other safe are to continue wearing masks, wash hands frequently, keep a safe distance from others, and avoid crowds.”

Maine is in Phase 1b under its vaccine strategy. Phase 1b includes older Maine residents, beginning with those 70 and older. Additional information on others in this phase will be released soon as more information becomes available on the vaccine supply and pace of vaccination in Maine.

In the eleventh week of distribution, the 30,080 first doses of vaccine will be sent to hospitals (26,710) and outpatient groups (3,370). Maine has stopped sending additional vaccine to the retail pharmacy program operated by the U.S. CDC, as it has sufficient vaccine doses at this time. As of February 24, 22,445 first doses have been administered to the roughly 26,000 residents and staff eligible in Maine’s long-term care facilities participating in the program.

The Department continues to support coalitions of health care providers to vaccinate older Mainers in hard-to-reach areas. For example, groups of hospitals, pharmacies clinics and nonprofits in Washington and Aroostook counties will hold vaccine clinics for adults in rural communities. Maine CDC’s Public Health Nurses teamed up with partners to bring vaccine clinics to a number of unbridged island communities and Area Agencies on Aging are assisting vaccination sites with ensuring accessibility for older adults with mobility limitations and registering residents without Internet access for appointments. We also look forward to the opening of large vaccination clinics in Sanford and Portland next week.

Maintaining a focus on older residents remains critical to saving lives. Additional information on vaccination for people age 70 and older in Maine is available at Maine’s COVID-19 vaccine website.

The State is committed to vaccinating with equity at high velocity and not wasting any doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. This means that some individuals are vaccinated before others and not always precisely in the order of the Phases in the Maine vaccine plan. That said, the work will not stop until every resident in Maine who wants and needs a vaccine gets one.