County vaccine roll-out facing high demand with limited supply

Demand is higher than supply with Washington County and the state's COVID 19 vaccine roll out. At his weekly briefing held on February 9, Maine Center for Disease Control (CDC) Director Dr. Nirav Shah said, "The supply of vaccine remains incredibly constrained at this time." The state has entered phase 1b, for those 70 and older, and continues to vaccinate those in phase 1a who have not yet been vaccinated. He noted that the state has 193,000 residents who meet phase 1b requirements. According to U.S. Census data, Washington County has about 7,800 residents over 65.
Washington County healthcare organizations have started their vaccination roll out for phase 1b, but the organizations have been receiving only 100 or 200 doses at a time. Those organizations that are using online registration systems find that they are filling up almost before they start, causing frustration among those trying to register and those who are doing their best to vaccinate those who qualify.
In addition, Eastport Health Care CEO Ellen Krajewski warns that a scam is taking place in Maine where scammers are asking for credit card information over the phone for vaccine registration. The COVID 19 vaccine is free, stresses the Maine Center for Disease Control. No healthcare organizations will ask for credit card information at the time of vaccination enrollment.
Shah announced that 24 Walmart and Sam's Club pharmacies around the state will begin administering vaccines "as part of Maine's participation in the federal CDC program." For more information on available store sites and registration visit www.walmart.com/cp/1228302 and www.samsclub.com/pharmacy/immunization?imzType=covid. For those who cannot wait to receive a vaccine locally, visit www.maine.gov/covid19/vaccines to find other sites that may have openings.

Calais clinic fills up fast
Calais Regional Hospital (CRH) held a vaccine clinic on February 10 for those age 70 and older as part of phase 1b. It had a small vaccine supply of 100 doses, and spots were filled up immediately.
CRH will hold a second vaccine clinic on Wednesday, February 17, for those age 70 and older as part of phase 1b. For the second clinic CRH has a supply of 100 doses. The link to register for an appointment was available between 8:30 and 8:45 a.m. on February 11. There will also be an on call list for the clinic to be utilized so no doses are wasted because of last-minute cancellations or no shows. The first dose will be provided on February 17 and the final dose on Wednesday, March 17. Those who sign up must commit to both dates when signing up for the vaccine, as they are required to be 28 days apart. CRH points out that arriving on time is important because showing up late may result in cancellation of your appointment. If you cannot come to your appointment, it is important to notify CRH as soon as possible, as the vaccine must be given in groups of 10 and within six hours of the first dose being removed from a vial.
CRH stresses, "Do not come if you are actively ill with COVID 19 or in quarantine due to an exposure to a positive person. Also do not come if you have any flu, cold or COVID 19 symptoms such as temperature 100F or greater, new onset fever/chills, cough, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, congestion, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or new loss of taste or smell."
For future clinics, CRH notes that for now it only schedules by an online link. CRH advises that if a loved one or friend eligible for clinic does not have the ability to register online, reach out to them and offer to assist. The information needed is their name, address, date of birth, phone number and an e-mail address, which can belong to another person. Work is still being done to provide options beyond online access to register for vaccine appointments. Screening when entering the facility and masking are required. Only the person being vaccinated should come to the clinic. Guests are not allowed because of social distancing requirements.
Information, including a link to the registration site, can be found at the website www.calaishospital.org/covid%2019/. CRH notes that the registration site is only open when spots are available.

Eastport Health Care reaches out to patients
On February 8 Eastport Health Care Inc. (EHC) received its first vaccination round of 100 doses for those 70 and older. EHC identified over 630 individuals in this group via primary care patient panels and placed the names in random order. The center has been reaching out by phone to patients, starting from the top of the randomized list, to schedule a date and time to be vaccinated. Patients will be scheduled until no doses remain. Patients are asked to not call for an appointment, as they will be called according to the randomized method EHC has put into place. Increased phone calls could delay efforts. Designated staff have been assigned to the scheduling. Phase 1b continues to include those in phase 1a, and EHC continues to offer administration to those in phase 1a who have not yet had access to the vaccine.
CEO Krajewski explains that EHC is part of ongoing discussions with other health centers and CRH about working together to provide larger vaccination events. "Until we have a commitment of vaccine, in depth planning and holding such an event are not possible." She adds that EHC has a new scientific refrigerator with large storage capacity in both the Machias and Eastport locations and has the capacity to store vaccine. "EHC is also willing to receive a larger order and transfer smaller batches to partners in the county. We have also offered this model to the state."
"EHC is planning to do vaccinations on an ongoing basis, and we are looking for a space in Eastport to set up a vaccine clinic during the week for at least several days a week for three to six months. We are considering several possible local sites. We have no commitment of vaccine yet but are hopeful that will change in the near future."
Krajewski adds that EHC is also hiring a temporary per diem team of clinicians and clinical support staff to assist in vaccination. "We are unsure at this time where and how the vaccine clinic will operate. Once we have a commitment of vaccine, we can plan in more detail," she stresses.
Updates on EHC vaccination efforts are posted on the EHC Facebook page, appear on its website, www.eastporthealth.org, and are added to its COVID 19 vaccination update telephone line at 853 0114.

Lubec medical center offer vaccines to patients
The Regional Medical Center at Lubec (RMCL) received 100 doses of Moderna COVID 19 vaccine on February 3 for patients 70 years old and older. In preparation for the event, RMCL staff generated a list by date of birth for its 686 registered patients who are 70 years or older. Staff started at the top of the list with the oldest patient and called each patient to offer them the vaccine. Patients who agreed to be vaccinated were registered and assisted to complete the necessary paperwork over the phone to minimize the time they would need to stay at the health center.
RMCL CEO Marilyn Hughes states, "Ninety five patients and five staff members received their first dose of vaccine in the afternoon of February 4. It was an amazing display of leadership by Dr. Abrams and clinic head nurse Diane Lahey and teamwork among reception staff, billing staff, clinic staff and, indeed, all staff." She adds, "The process was very coordinated, and there were no untoward events. The past year has been exceptionally trying, and this event serves as an example of how staff continues to show up each day with compassion and commitment to serving our communities. I am extremely proud of every one of them."
RMCL anticipates receiving an additional 100 doses of vaccine the week of February 15 and plans to use the same process to continue vaccinating patients in phase 1b, 70 years of age and older. Community members who meet the criteria of phase 1b but are not registered patients of RMCL can contact Terry Rier at 733 1090 ext. 5203 to be placed on a waiting list for when RMCL has enough vaccine to expand its list. RMCL staff will continue to be available to assist patients and community members with the registration process.

DECH looks to expand vaccine availability
On February 4 Down East Community Hospital (DECH) held its first vaccination clinic for those 70 and over. Communications and Marketing Director Julie Hixson says the hospital enabled its appointment mechanism just as soon as it received the vaccine the previous afternoon. "All of the appointments were filled within 18 minutes." She adds, "We will continue to ask for 1,000 doses a week and hope that if vaccine availability increases in Maine that we will be able to receive more than the 200 we received this week [February 4]." The week of February 8, Hixson said, "We only received 100 vaccines this week and filled the slots for those appointments in approximately seven minutes. We could do so much more if we could receive more vaccine."
When the state asked who would be willing to be a vaccine site that could provide at least 1,000 vaccines a week, DECH spoke up quickly. "We are committed to doing whatever we can to bring vaccines to Washington County. Internally, we have been continually discussing how to roll out these clinics quickly and efficiently to vaccinate as many as we can."
Hixson explains that there are many frustrations associated with the vaccine roll out and the outreach to those who want to be vaccinated, with one of those being online registration for vaccine clinics for those 70 and over. "We are painfully aware, as are many other organizations trying to provide vaccines to the community, that this approach is not ideal for all members of that age group. Nobody knows this better than we do, as we are acutely aware of the demographics and barriers of those who live in Washington County. We know, we care, and we are working hard to find ways to reach more people."
"Reach out to your grandmother, grandfather, mother, father, uncle, aunt, brother, sister, friends and neighbors who are unable to sign up online for appointments and offer to be their sign up warrior. We do not charge for our clinics, so all you need to have is their name, address, birth date and an e-mail address, which can be that of the sign up warrior, to sign up on their behalf."
DECH's online clinic registration is available at www.dech.org/Covid-Vaccine/About-DECH.