Patty Wight
News ProducerPatty is a graduate of the University of Vermont and a multiple award-winning reporter for Maine Public Radio. Her specialty is health coverage: from policy stories to patient stories, physical health to mental health and anything in between. Patty joined Maine Public Radio in 2012 after producing stories as a freelancer for NPR programs such as Morning Edition and All Things Considered. She got hooked on radio at the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies in Portland, Maine, and hasn’t looked back ever since.
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Democratic Gov. Janet Mills said on Wednesday that the guard members will be used in nonclinical support roles. -
The phones, which automatically connect to Maine's crisis hotline, were installed in 2015 after an increasing number of suicide deaths.
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The six Maine hospitals are among 23 across the U.S. recognized in the rural category this year by Leapfrog. The organization says it bases its rankings on surveys and data which are reviewed and verified.
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That includes data from Monday, Sunday and Saturday. The seven-day average of new cases is now 634.
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Maine residents have been complaining on social media that the national pharmacy chain is cancelling COVID-19 vaccine appointments. A Walgreens spokesperson said last week some locations are adjusting hours due to staffing.
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All three hospitalization metrics for COVID-19 have hit new highs.
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In response to complaints about the cancellations, the pharmacy chain says it's adjusting hours in some stores due to staffing needs and is working to reschedule appointments as quickly as possible.
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Dr. Nirav Shah says many people are wondering how well current vaccines will protect against omicron. Getting the answer will take time, he says, but "If you're vaccinated, your immune system is not a blank slate anymore. Just as the virus can adapt, so can your immune system."
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The program — the Maine Pediatric and Behavioral Health Partnership — launched in March of this year with the support of a $1.8 million federal grant.
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The spike in cases over the last three weeks has led to record hospitalizations in the state, forcing Maine hospitals to expand capacity to meet the demand, as concern grows over the new omicron variant.
