Maine reports 439 new cases of COVID-19, three deaths

Maine reported 439 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, and three additional deaths, as vaccinations continue and public health officials are gearing up for another potential increase after the Christmas vacation trips.

Since the start of the pandemic, 22,319 people in Maine have tested positive for COVID-19 and 326 have died.

Dr. Nirav Shah, director of Maine CDC, is due to address the media at 2 pm today.

As of Sunday, more than 17,000 people in Maine – predominantly health workers on the front line of the pandemic – have been vaccinated, about 1.3 percent of the state’s population. Maine is immunizing people faster than most states, according to a vaccine tracker at Bloomberg News. When measuring vaccinated people as a percentage of the total population by state, only West Virginia, Alaska, North Dakota and South Dakota immunized more people per capita than Maine, with West Virginia leading the country at 1.7%.

The vaccine launch continues, with more shipments of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines expected this week.

Paramedics and paramedics are starting to receive vaccines, and the Portland Fire Department reported that 80 firefighters who are trained as paramedics and paramedics were vaccinated last weekend, with another 80 scheduled to receive the injection this week.

Portland Deputy Fire Chief Kevin McGuire told the Press Herald this weekend that all “mask and travel policies are still in place” for firefighters.

“My hope is that in four or five months, if thousands of people are vaccinated, we will see active cases decrease and we can start thinking about changing the policy,” said McGuire.

But epidemiologists and other public health officials have warned that, even with the vaccine, the public will be urged to continue wearing masks, practicing social detachment and taking other protective measures in the near future.

This story will be updated.

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