The state of Maine launched a new COVID-19 vaccine registration website yesterday.
The site will allow residents 16 and older to preregister for the vaccine and eventually schedule appointments.
Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah says the site, which can be found at vaccinateme.maine.gov, will connect registrants to smaller and newer vaccination providers.
“We know that as we move into 50s, 40s, 30s, and so on and so forth there will be more opportunities to get vaccinated because there may be more types of clinics that open up. So the pre-registration is focused on just those sites that will or ultimately will be using the statewide scheduling platform,” he says.
The state’s larger hospital networks, including MaineHealth and Northern Light Health, will continue to use their own registration and scheduling websites.
Shah says he believe the state is on track to open vaccinations to residents 16 and over on April 19.
The Maine Center for Disease Control identified 199 new cases of COVID-19 as of Wednesday morning. A total of 48,972 cases of the disease have been recorded in Maine.
With no new deaths, the state’s death toll remains at 731.
Shah says about two-thirds of Mainers 60 and older have received at least the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. More than 600,000 total doses of the vaccine have been administered.
The Maine CDC’s next briefing on the pandemic is scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday. Maine Public will bring that to you live.