COVID vaccine update
Dear Patient,
Additional doses of the COVID vaccine are arriving in Maine weekly, and the state is expanding its list of people who can be offered the vaccine. Following the guidance of the Maine CDC, our efforts thus far have focused on patient-facing healthcare workers in the community – patients and non-patients – to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the community.
Yesterday the State added those 70 years and older, people with pre-existing conditions, and critical COVID-19 response personnel, such as police officers, firefighters, and correctional officers. Patient-facing healthcare workers will continue to remain a priority.
Following the new guidance from the Maine CDC, InterMed will begin by offering vaccinations to our oldest and most medically complex patients. We anticipate volume of available vaccine to increase in the coming weeks and will continue to work down our patient lists as quickly as we can.
Many of you have called asking for updates; I wish I could provide you with a better timeline. The federal government plans to significantly increase the number of doses released, but right now, we are taking it week-by-week.
If you have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, visit the COVID section of our website. We ask that you please do not call our office to ask about scheduling a vaccine. Be assured that we have you on our list of patients to immunize and will contact you just as soon as we can possibly offer you a vaccine. As you can imagine, we are receiving hundreds of calls and want to keep phonelines open for patients who need care for acute and chronic issues.
As the Maine CDC expands its list of who is offered vaccination, we will review our patient database and contact those who fit that particular criteria. My hope is that we will be contacting you soon.
Thank you for your patience and understanding. Please stay safe and well.
Dan Loiselle, MD
Chief Medical Officer