During this week of gratitude, Mid Coast Hospital would like to thank our community for your ongoing support throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Our care team members are working extremely hard doing everything they can to care for our community. Your kindness and compassion during this difficult time makes a difference.
As cooler weather arrives and people begin to spend more time indoors, we have started to see an increase in COVID-19 activity in our region. Currently, we are in the midst of a surge of the COVID-19 Delta variant in the communities we serve, with Mid Coast Hospital caring for the highest number of COVID-19-positive patients since the pandemic began.
This high community transmission rate and spike in hospitalizations is even more concerning as we head into the holiday season. We cannot stress enough the importance of following CDC-recommended safety protocols, including social distancing, washing your hands, and wearing a mask. Now is not the time to let down your guard.
It is also more important than ever to look after your health. In addition to following COVID-19 safety measures, we encourage all eligible Mainers to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Additionally, all Maine residents over the age of 18 who completed an initial vaccination series are now eligible for a booster vaccination. Just like boosters protecting us from other ailments, the COVID-19 booster will help strengthen your body’s immune response to the coronavirus.
To assist with keeping our community safe throughout the holiday season, Mid Coast Hospital will host special pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinics this week at 81 Medical Center Drive Tuesday, November 23 and Friday, November 26. Booster shots and first doses will be available for community members ages 12 and older. Appointments are required; sign up at: http://www.midcoasthealth.com/vaccine/
It is also important to get a flu shot for you and your family members. Getting a flu shot this year not only reduces risk from flu, but also helps to conserve scarce healthcare resources while we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information about flu prevention and where to get a flu shot visit: www.midcoasthealth.com/flu.
We recognize that families are yearning to be together and return to pre-COVID-19 Thanksgiving Day traditions. With this current surge of COVID-19 in our community, we want to emphasize that it is essential to evaluate and avoid situations that could result in high-risk exposures. For recommendations on creative ways to celebrate and honor traditions while staying safe, please visit the CDC’s Holiday Celebrations page: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays/celebrations.html
Maintaining patient and care team safety remains our top priority, and we are here to care for patients. Our facilities continue to take several measures to ensure the highest level of safety for patients and staff. We would like to assure our community that it is safe to get the medical care that you need. Your care is important, and your health depends on it.
COVID-19 has understandably caused a lot of disruption for everyone, but the teamwork, optimism, and unwavering commitment shown by our community and care team members during this pandemic has been reassuring and appreciated. In this spirit of gratitude, all of us at Mid Coast–Parkview Health wish you and your loved ones a happy and healthy Thanksgiving.