Site launched by Central Maine Healthcare, Auburn, Lewiston and State aims to vaccinate 1,000 people a day
The new regional high-volume COVID-19 vaccination site launched by Central Maine Healthcare, the City of Auburn, the City of Lewiston and the State of Maine vaccinated its first patients on Wednesday as operations began at the Auburn Mall.
“It’s been absolutely phenomenal how the community came together with determination and enthusiasm for this cause,” said Jeffrey L. Brickman, FACHE, president and CEO of Central Maine Healthcare. “Together, we are amping up our vaccination efforts to protect even more Maine people from the coronavirus. It’s a wonderful day that turns the page in our fight against this pandemic.”
After its ramp up, the site aims to vaccinate 1,000 people each day of operation – or 4,000 per week – as vaccine supplies allow. The site is expected to operate for six months.
Central Maine Healthcare has so far administrated 21,028 doses of vaccine at its hospital-based vaccine clinics. The partnerships around the high-volume vaccination site extends resources to increase volume and expands the reach.
“Since the pandemic began, I have watched our community pull together to fight this thing head-on. And as a community, we have shown unity, strength and resilience,” said Auburn Mayor Jason Levesque. “A strong community partnership brought this vaccination site to fruition, and that partnership will make a truly meaningful difference in people’s lives. My sincere thanks to the team at Central Maine Healthcare, to the City of Lewiston and to St. Mary’s for working to make this site possible.”
On Wednesday, the partners, community leaders and volunteers gathered at the mall to mark the site’s first day with a ribbon cutting and a tour before operations began. On the first day of operations, all 312 available appointments were filled. The number of appointments is based on vaccine availability.
“I am pleased that the residents of the LA region will now have access to this life-saving vaccine through a local high-volume vaccination site,” said Lewiston Mayor Mark A. Cayer. “It is yet another example of community partners working together for the health and well-being of our residents. I encourage folks to take advantage of this public health opportunity.”
In addition to operating the site at the mall, community partners are coordinating to ensure that vaccination efforts reach all members of the community. Central Maine Healthcare and leaders from Auburn, Lewiston and the State of Maine are working with Androscoggin County Emergency Management Agency, St. Mary’s Health System, Tri-County EMS, the National Guard and the Auburn Mall.
“This high-volume community vaccination clinic helps get shots into the arms of Maine people as quickly and fairly as possible,” said Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention Director Nirav D. Shah, MD, JD. “As we await more doses coming to Maine from the federal government, we stand ready to vaccinate more residents in Lewiston-Auburn, western Maine and throughout the state. We thank our partners involved in this important effort to protect the health of Maine people.”
Vaccination Appointments
Vaccination at the Central Maine Healthcare-run site at the Auburn Mall is available by appointment only. To check availability, book an appointment or find out more about high- volume vaccination site, visit cmhc.org or telephone the Central Maine Healthcare COVID vaccine call center at 207-520-2917.
For information, please use this website and phone number rather than contacting the mall or the cities.
Vaccinations will take place at the Center Court of the Auburn Mall. The entrance will be through the south entrance, near Thatcher’s.
With the opening of Auburn Mall site, Central Maine Healthcare is pivoting resources from the clinics at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston to the high-volume site. Community vaccination clinics will continue at Bridgton Hospital and Rumford Hospital.
How to Help
Volunteers, both clinical and non-clinical, and donations, both financial and in-kind, can support COVID-19 efforts such as the high-volume site. Please visit cmhc.org/how-to-help for more information.