4 Maine Counties Still Below Two-Thirds Fully Vaccinated

About three quarters of Maine’s eligible population is fully vaccinated against coronavirus, but four counties in the state remain below two thirds.

Franklin, Oxford, Piscataquis and Somerset counties remain below that threshold, according to data provided by the office of Democratic Gov. Janet Mills. Somerset County has the lowest percentage in the state at a little less than 61%.

The state’s immunization rates reflect a divide between urban and rural parts of Maine. The four counties with lagging rates are largely rural. Cumberland County, which is the location of Portland and the most urban county in the state, is above 85% vaccinated.

Dr. Shira Doron of Tufts Medical Center and Dr. Davidson Hamer of Boston Medical Center answered questions about long COVID symptoms, holiday guidelines and new data that shows the Pfizer vaccine's efficacy wanes over time.

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State health officials have said they are working to improve access to vaccinations and testing in rural parts of the state.

Maine as a whole has one of the highest COVID-19 vaccination rates in the country. Mills said Tuesday that a million people in the state have received at least one shot of COVID-19 vaccine. The state’s population is about 1.3 million.