Brunswick Agency Maintains Maine’s First Drive-Thru Vaccination Clinic

Monday’s cold temperatures and strong winds did not prevent the Independence Association from hosting the first COVID-19 drive-thru vaccination clinic in Maine.

The non-profit organization Brunswick, which provides housing and other services for adults with intellectual disabilities, vaccinated around 70 customers and 90 caregivers outside its headquarters at 3 Industrial Parkway. The Guardian Pharmacy of Maine, whose main office is conveniently located next door, supplied the clinic with four pharmacists.

The agency organized the drive-thru because many of its customers have underlying health problems that put them at greater risk of serious illness and death if they contract COVID-19 and live in crowded environments that increase the chances of spreading the virus.

Lined up in cars, caregivers and their clients moved slowly through the registration, inoculation and observation points, with most simply rolling down the windows to receive the first of the two pictures of Moderna in their arms. Some in wheelchairs have been vaccinated outside their vehicles.

“We waited patiently for two hours and we are both happy to have received the vaccine,” said Robert Hipp, a direct support professional who led a client to be vaccinated. “It was cold and windy, but it was good to finally be vaccinated.”

The clinic, which operated from 10 am to 3 pm, was the first vaccination effort for the COVID-19 drive-thru known to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. With temps in their 30s, the operation mostly outdoors was a little surprising in the middle of winter in Maine, but it was scheduled to happen regardless of the weather.

“We wanted this to happen,” said Ray Nagel, executive director of the Independence Association. “We had about 20 employees running the clinic and they dressed for the role. And it was sunny, so it was hot if you were out in the sun. “

Nagel said the drive-thru clinic has allowed his agency to vaccinate large numbers of people under strict public health and safety protocols and in a relatively short period of time.

“The average wait was about 2 hours,” said Nagel. “It seems like a long time, but it’s not when you’re trying to protect yourself and do things in an organized way.”

Community Living customer Colby Padula receives the first dose of the vaccine in Brunswick on Monday. The drive-thru clinic, considered the first in Maine, was organized by the Independence Association, which offers housing and other services for adults with intellectual disabilities. About 70 clients and 90 caregivers were vaccinated. Ben McCanna / Team photographer

The clinic also limited the clients’ risk of contracting COVID-19 during the process, regardless of whether they were vaccinated or not, Nagel said. Some customers refused vaccination after arriving because they were anxious or worried.

Because of the agency’s continued surveillance during the pandemic, none of its residential customers tested positive for coronavirus, said Nagel.

“We know that people with physical and intellectual disabilities who live in crowded environments are at a much greater risk,” said Nagel.

The Independence Association offers three types of housing for people with physical and intellectual disabilities: residential collective houses, independent apartment communities and shared residences, all with home support to meet individual needs.

A study of more than 8 million adults in the UK found that people with Down syndrome are four times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 than the general population and 10 times more likely to die from it, according to with the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Down syndrome is a genetic condition associated with immune dysfunction, congenital heart disease and lung disease, according to the UK study. It is also the most common congenital condition, occurring in 1 in 700 births, according to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Mali Mrozinski, manager of Spindleworks, receives the first dose of the vaccine on Monday in Brunswick. About 200 service providers and people with intellectual disabilities received the vaccine at a drive-thru vaccination clinic. Ben McCanna / Team photographer

Nagel said Maine is ahead of other states because it has prioritized Phase 1A residents and congregation residents in its vaccination plan, according to the Maine CDC website. Phase 1B, which is scheduled to start in February but has already started a slow rollout, includes people aged 70 and over and those with underlying health problems that put them at high risk for serious illness if they contract COVID-19, such as syndrome Down.

The Independence Association pre-registered clients and caregivers before Monday’s clinic, obtaining written consent, health history and health insurance information in advance, said Nagel. Team members checked each load as it arrived, writing down names, assigning a number to each vehicle and placing an identification sheet under the windshield wiper.

As the line of cars moved under the entrance to the agency’s porch, team members took the information sheet inside, where the data was entered into a central online registry connected to Maine’s CDC, Nagel said. As soon as the occupants of a car were registered, a pharmacist went to the vehicle he was waiting for, asked each person several questions about his health history and vaccinated each individual.

“It is very rewarding for me and my team to be part of the solution,” said Courtney Oland, president and owner of Guardian Pharmacy of Maine, which serves long-term care and gathers facilities.

Drivers of each car were instructed to go to a waiting area where team members would watch their reactions to the vaccine for 15 minutes, said Nagel. Drivers were asked to monitor other people’s reactions in their car and honk if there were any signs of an allergic reaction or other problems; a pharmacist would respond with an automatic epinephrine injection pen and a team member would call 911.

“There were no medical problems,” said Nagel. Some customers have had panic attacks suppressed by a pharmacist, he said.

Founded in 1966, the Independence Association serves more than 400 adults and children in nine Maine counties with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Nagel said his agency will run a second drive-thru vaccination clinic on February 22 to administer a booster injection to clients and caregivers who received the first dose on Monday and give the first injections to others. Ultimately, he said, about 300 customers and about 250 employees will be vaccinated.

Robert Hipp, the direct support professional, said his client is looking forward to it.

“She was worried about the vaccine for months,” said Hipp. “Now, she said she was happy to have him. She is an artist and is looking forward to returning to the studio. That’s what she lives for. “

“Previous

Next ”

Related stories