AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine residents will be issued cards to simplify the process of getting vaccinated for coronavirus after they receive the first shot.
The state began a roll-out of the vaccine this week and it is expected to take months. Hundreds of health care workers have been vaccinated so far.
The coronavirus vaccine that is becoming available is a two-shot series. People who receive the vaccine will receive a card that reminds them when they were vaccinated as well as where and when they need to return for a second shot, Maine Center for Disease Control Director Dr. Nirvav Shah said Wednesday.
The vaccine is only available to front-line health care workers at the moment. Shah has said the vaccine will likely reach the broader population sometime around the late spring or earlier summer. It’ll be available to members of at-risk groups before then.
NEWS CENTER Maine has received reports from public safety agencies, such as fire departments and police departments, that people are calling and asking about the vaccine. On Wednesday, Shah said Maine CDC has received similar calls. He said that while these calls are likely being made with good intentions, they are misguided. Unless you are a healthcare worker or have preexisting conditions, it may be many months until there is enough vaccine available nationally to vaccinate everyone who wants it.
"It's uplifting and heartening that so many folks across Maine are calling and seeking more information about the vaccine, as well as when they can get vaccinated," Shah said. "Right now, unless you are a healthcare provider who works for example in an emergency room or an ICU or in a COVID unit, it may be many many months before there is enough vaccine available nationally in order for us to be offering vaccine to folks who don't have other preexisting health conditions or folks who don't work in a healthcare setting."
"Right now I don't advise and in fact ask everyone not to call your local public safety, not to call your local fire rescue or EMS agency," he added. "Those phone lines we're really hoping can stay open for first response and emergency purposes. Vaccine will be made available to the general public, but it may be many many months away."
Shah encourages Mainers to stay informed and up to date, so that they can know when a vaccine may soon be available to them.
"The best thing you can do right now is to stay up to date on where things stand with the vaccine," he said. "Keep on top of which vaccines have been approved, what the numbers are looking like, and tune into these outlets, like the Maine CDC's briefings, so we can keep you up to date on when vaccine might be coming your way."