Maine

Mainers 70 and Older Begin Signing Up for COVID-19 Vaccine

People were able to begin requesting an appointment on Monday

BERKELEY, CA – JAN. 14: UC Berkeley University Health Services pharmacy director Efren Bose prepares a dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine before administering it to fellow University Health Services staff at Tang Center near UC Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. Thursday, January 14, 2021. University of Berkeley received their first shipment of vaccine at University Health Services this week and has began the process of administering vaccinations at clinics on Thursdays and Fridays. (Jessica Christian/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)

Maine's health care providers have started scheduling COVID-19 vaccines for those 70 and older, despite a short supply of doses.

Gov. Janet Mills’ office has published a list online showing where people in that category can schedule an appointment.

MaineHealth was flooded with more than 18,000 calls Monday, the first day people could request an appointment, John Porter, spokesperson for the health care network, told the Portland Press Herald. That number is equal to Maine’s statewide weekly supply of vaccines.

“Patient vaccinations are rolling out across the system this week,” he said, while noting “demand way exceeds the supply right now.”

The rollout comes after Mills announced last week that those 70 and older and younger adults with high-risk health conditions would be moved closer to the front of the line for vaccinations.

Copyright The Associated Press
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