There is some good news in Maine this week in relation to the pandemic. Maine’s PCR positivity rate has decreased to 10.2%. This is down from 17.4% two weeks ago. Hospitalizations have decreased in that two-week period as well – down to 304 hospitalizations from 408. The number of people in intensive care units has also declined, from 88 to 70 in that period. The number of patients on ventilators has dropped to 27 from 38. This past week there were 1,057 positive test results every day over a seven-day average, which reflects a significant reduction from the previous week when the average was 1,665 positive test results. Additionally, on another positive note, nearly 78% of all individuals in the state are fully vaccinated. Maine administered 1,725 doses of the Covid-19 vaccines on average over the past week, with 58% of the doses being booster shots.

However, although these numbers are encouraging, they are still high, and the Covid-19 pandemic remains a significant concern across the state at this time. The Maine Center for Disease Control continues to encourage those who receive a positive test result to inform others they may have exposed and contact people they have interacted with in person in the past 14 days.

The Mills’ Administration launched a new program this week to provide aid for direct support workers. Under the program, bonus payments will be available to retain current workers or attract new workers. Direct support workers include those in personal care, home care, shared living, behavioral health, and community living services. The payments are to address the pandemic-related shortages in the healthcare workforce, and Governor Mills expects they will provide significant short-term support to move forward. This support has come from funding under the American Rescue Plan.

Starting this week, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is distributing the funds to qualified provider agencies in two phases. Provider agencies will receive a payment amount based on their MaineCare revenue and will pay bonuses directly to workers, shared living providers, therapeutic foster care providers and supervisors by June 30, 2022. Individual employee bonus amounts will be determined by the provider agency in accordance with a bonus policy that the agency will adopt and share with its employees. DHHS developed this system in consultation with provider agencies to reduce the administrative burden, give agencies more certainty about available funding and allow agencies to create specific bonus policies that are best for their employees. All provider agencies that receive funds for bonuses are required to pay at least 80 percent of funds in direct payments to staff, not including agency leadership. Agencies will be subject to both Federal and State audit. 

According to the Mills Administration, the bonuses will benefit 20,184 current direct support workers at 311 providers throughout the state. 

“Direct support workers are a vital part of the health care workforce that has been the backbone of Maine’s response to COVID-19,” said Governor Mills. “They’ve risked their own health for nearly two years to care for Maine people so they can stay in their homes and communities throughout the state. These bonus payments are a recognition of their vital work and central to our broader investment in strengthening our system of care and services for older adults and those with disabilities and mental health challenges now and into the future.” 

For in-person testing sites and vaccination sites, see the list below for those in both the Greater Portland and Lewiston/Auburn Areas.

Name of OrganizationMunicipalityScheduling InformationAge eligibility
Greater Portland Area
WalmartFalmouthSchedule here. Drop-ins welcome5+
WalmartScarboroughSchedule here. Drop-ins welcome5+
HannafordGorhamSchedule here.5+
HannafordPortlandForest Ave. Schedule here.5+
HannafordPortlandRiverside St. Schedule here.18+
HannafordScarboroughSchedule here.12+
HannafordSo. PortlandMillcreek. Schedule here.12+
HannafordSo. PortlandMaine Mall. Schedule here.18+
HannafordWestbrookSchedule here.18+
WalgreenWestbrookSchedule here or call 1-800-Walgreens12+
WalgreensGorhamSchedule here or call 1-800-Walgreens5+
WalgreensPortland127 Marginal Way. Schedule here or call 1-800-Walgreens12+
WalgreensPortland616 Forest Ave. Schedule here or call 1-800-Walgreens12+
WalgreensPortland290 Congress Street. Schedule here or call 1-800-Walgreens12+
WalgreensPortland713 Congress Street. Schedule here or call 1-800-Walgreens12+
WalgreensScarborough233 U.S. Route 1. Schedule here or call 1-800-Walgreens5+
WalgreensScarborough600 U.S. Route 1. Schedule here or call 1-800-Walgreens12+
WalgreensSouth PortlandSchedule here or call 1-800-Walgreens12+
Intermed Vaccine ClinicSouth PortlandAll Covid-19 shots and flu shots. Book your appointment here.5+
Greater Portland HealthPortlandGPH is offering weekly vaccination clinics with all three vaccines: Pfizer, Moderna, and J&J. Call 207-874-2141 to schedule an appointment.12+
Martin’s PointPortlandBy appointment only. Call (207) 828-7814 or schedule here.18+
Northern Light Mercy HospitalPortlandAppointment needed. Schedule here.5+
Portland Community Free ClinicPortlandThe Clinic is now located at 39 Forest Avenue in Portland. Call 874-8982 to schedule an appointment.18+
North East Mobile Health ServicesPortlandTo schedule an appointment, visit https://www.nemhs.com/vaccine18+
MAIN/Community Health NursingPortlandVaccinations available every Friday from 3:00-5:30 at 237 Oxford Street, Suite 25A in in Portland12+
Community Health Workers on site to provide translation for Somali, Arabic, French, Lingala, and Swahili. Quickly schedule appointments at [email protected]
Northern Light Home Care & HospiceSouth PortlandVisit https://northernlighthealth.org/homecare-hospice or call 1-800-757-3326. 5+
Open Circle Family PracticeSouth PortlandVisit https://www.opencircleme.com/5+
Maine Medical Partners Portland PediatricsPortland Offering the COVID-19 vaccine by appointment only. Call the MaineHealth  Vaccine Assistant at 1-877-780-7545.5+
Maine Medical Partners Falmouth PediatricsFalmouthOffering the COVID-19 vaccine by appointment only. Call the MaineHealth  Vaccine Assistant at 1-877-780-7545.5+
Maine Medical Partners South Portland PediatricsSouth PortlandOffering the COVID-19 vaccine by appointment only. Call the MaineHealth  Vaccine Assistant at 1-877-780-7545.5+
Maine Medical Partners Westbrook PediatricsWestbrook Offering the COVID-19 vaccine by appointment only. Call the MaineHealth  Vaccine Assistant at 1-877-780-75455+
Personalized Pediatrics of MainePortlandVisit website here.5+
MaineHealth Community Vaccine Clinic at Free StreetPortlandMaineHealth is offering a vaccination clinic at 110 Free Street in Portland. Vaccinations are by appointment only – no walk-in appointments are available. Book your appointment here. 5+
Appointments are available on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Vaccinations available for those 16+ looking for boosters, first & second doses for age 12+ and pediatric vaccinations for those 5-11. All three vaccines (Pfizer, Moderna, and J&J will be available. 
Free parking is available at 128 Free Street behind Dogfish Bar and Grill, less than a 3-minute walk to the 110 Free Street MaineHealth Community Vaccine Clinic’s entrance.
Northern Light Homecare and Hospice South PortlandVaccination clinic held at the former Pier 1 store in South Portland. All types of vaccinations available (first, second, booster, pediatric doses) and all types of vaccines will be offered. Walk-in only. Flu shots also available.5+
Lewiston/Auburn
WalmartAuburnSchedule here5+
HannafordAuburnSchedule here12+
HannafordLewistonSchedule here12+
WalgreensAuburnSchedule here5+
WalgreensLewiston430 Sabattus Street. Schedule here12+
WalgreensLewiston315 Main Street. Schedule here12+
Pediatric Associates of LewistonLewistonSchedule here or call 207-784-57825+
Central Maine Health Care/Auburn MallAuburnThe Auburn Mall clinic is open Tuesday-Friday from 8am-5pm. Walk-ins welcome.5+
Call 207-520-2917 or visit https://www.cmhc.org/get-covid-vaccine/. Walk-in appointments are available for all eligible age groups.
Pediatric doses are available in the former Wilson store: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays from 2-6pm. 
B Street ClinicLewistonVisit website for more info: scheduling for weekends, walk-in information on website.12+
St. Mary’s Regional Medical CenterLewistonVisit www.stmarysmaine.com for information or call 207-755-3100.18+
Apothecary RXLewiston To find out about getting a vaccination, call 207-783-3539. 5+