Governor Janet T. Mills (D) at a Recent Indoor Event in Portland.

Governor Janet T. Mills (D), the first woman Governor of Maine and its former Attorney General, announced yesterday that more than 50% of eligible Maine people have received a COVID-19 booster shot, making Maine the fourth state in the nation to achieve that milestone.  Maine’s vaccination rate was at 50.2% according to the press release issued yesterday.

Only Vermont (55.2%), Minnesota (51.7%), and Wisconsin (50.3%), have higher booster vaccination rates.

Still, this milestone comes at a time when Maine is experiencing near record-high COVID-19 hospitalilzations driven by people who are not vaccinated.  As of yesterday, there were a near record high 412 people hospidtalized with COVID-19 in Maine, including 101 in cddritical care and 52 on ventilators, leaving only 46 adult intensive care unit (ICU) beds available in Maine.

“Today, more than one hundred people are fighting for their breath in critical care units across this state, many of whom are friends and neighbors who will needlessly die because they decided to take a chance, not get vaccinated and got sick.  These painful deaths are easily prevented by vaccines, which are safe and effective.  Our heroic, but exhausted health care workers are pleading with Maine people to get vaccinated and I continue to urge all Maine people to heed their advice.  Getting your shot, regardless of whether it is your first or your third, is the best way to protect your health, to protect our health care system and to lift the extraordinary buren our health care workers are carrying right now,” said Governr Mills.  “To the more than half of eligible Maine people who have received their booster, I am grateful that you have stepped up to get the highest level of protection for yourself, your loved ones, your communities and our health care system.  To everyone else:  please do not delay.  If you ae eligible, get your shot today”