Dovon Drake receives a Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine Thursday from Lori Rice of United Ambulance at the wellness shelter at the Ramada Hotel in Lewiston. Ten residents age 50 and older were vaccinated. “The majority of our guests are under 50,” shelter supervisor Megan Parks said, and will eventually be vaccinated. United Ambulance, St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center and the Lewiston Fire Department are working together to reach those who may not have the resources or access to larger vaccine sites. “We are trying to fill the gaps,” Lewiston Fire Chief Brian Stockdale said. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal Buy this Photo

LEWISTON — To improve the COVID-19 vaccination rate in Androscoggin County, the state is working to establish a large-scale vaccine clinic, possibly a drive-through.

“I’d like to see it in Lewiston,” Gov. Janet Mills said Thursday. “We’re working on that.”

Mills and Commissioner Jeanne M. Lambrew joined Maine Center for Disease Control Director Dr. Nirav Shah for the biweekly news briefing with reporters.

With the state expanding eligibility Wednesday to anyone age 16 and older, and with next week’s expected big boost of vaccine supply from the federal government — enough to vaccinate more than 54,000 Mainers — Lambrew said they’re looking for more large-scale vaccination sites.

“We’re looking hard at geography,” Lambrew said. “I have nothing specific to announce, but the population centers in Maine are the places to go for these sites. We’re considering Androscoggin County.”

That’s when the governor jumped in and said she hopes it will be in Lewiston.

On Thursday, the state released the number of vaccine doses that will go out to clinics throughout Maine next week.

Once again, the number for the Auburn Mall Clinic, the region’s only large-scale clinic, is smaller than Bangor, Portland and even Augusta.

For the week of April 5, the Auburn Mall will receive 2,340 first doses; the Augusta hospital, 3,100; Bangor 6,350; and Portland 7,520. Each site also receives second-dose vaccines not listed on the state’s website. The Auburn Mall site will receive 2,940 second doses as well next week.

With more supply coming into Maine next week to the point that the state is expanding eligibility, Shah was asked why the Auburn Mall’s supply isn’t going up.

Shah explained that the Auburn Mall clinic, administered by Central Maine Healthcare, is getting the amount of doses it can handle.

The mall clinic has been getting 2,340 Pfizer doses a week.

“We’re having conversations about whether they’re able to increase that. If they can do more than 4,000 per week, if they can use another tray of Pfizer, then we are standing by. We’re working with them to make sure that what we allocate to them matches what they can do.”

Asked to respond to Shah’s explanation that the clinic is matched with the amount it can handle, a Central Maine Healthcare official said in an email it will be working with the state to get more supply.

Since the mall clinic opened March 17, “so far Central Maine Healthcare has administered 5,234 doses at the high-volume site,” Amy Lee, vice president and chief operating officer of Central Maine Medical Group, said.

Dovon Drake answers questions from Lori Rice of United Ambulance on Thursday before Drake receives a Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at the wellness shelter in Lewiston. “The majority of our guests are under 50,” shelter supervisor Megan Parks said. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal Buy this Photo

“We’re excited to get more vaccines into the arms of Maine people, and we have the capacity to do so,” she said. “Our operations are extremely efficient, and the high-volume vaccination site is designed to be able to scale up. We’ll be working with the state to get additional doses.”

During the news briefing, Shah said it’s important to remember there are other places in Androscoggin County to get a vaccine.

“Last week and this week we’re providing vaccines to EMS clinics there, to the Auburn Fire Department as well as to United Ambulance in Lewiston,” he said. “We’re expanding who else is able to provide vaccinations there, to say nothing of the high number of retail pharmacies in the Lewiston-Auburn area.”

State statistics Thursday showed that the first-dose state average vaccination rate is 32.4%. The rates for the following counties are: Cumberland, 35.7%; Androscoggin, 25.8%; Franklin, 27.8%, Oxford, 27.6%.

Shah said the Maine CDC is looking out for everyone.

“We’re always keeping tabs on the data,” he said. “If Androscoggin County looks like it’s not getting what it needs, we’ll make sure we right that.”

Pharmacies receiving vaccines include Walmart, Hannaford, Shaw’s and Walgreens. Private practices are also receiving vaccines.

In addition, area agencies receiving Johnson & Johnson vaccines next week include: Auburn Fire Department, 100 doses; United Ambulance, 100 doses; Androscoggin Home Health, 100 doses; B Street Health Center, 100 doses.

Lewiston’s St. Mary’s Regional Health Care, which is working on getting downtown marginalized populations vaccinated, is receiving 500 doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

To find an appointment at any site go to: https://www.maine.gov/covid19/vaccines/vaccination-sites.

To find an appointment at the Auburn Mall call 207-520-2917, or https://apps.cmhc.org/CovidVaccineRegistration/signups/add?page=add.

EDITOR’s NOTE: This story has been updated with additional information on second-dose vaccines being received by the Auburn Mall site.