Maine reports 933 new cases of COVID-19, boosters expanded to everyone 18 and older – Press Herald

Maine is reporting 933 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, and 11 additional deaths, a day after the state expanded eligibility to everyone 18 and older to receive booster shots against the deadly virus.

The seven-day average of daily new cases stood at 535.4 on Thursday, compared to 558.3 a week ago and 527.6 a month ago.

Since the pandemic began, Maine has logged 114,065 cases of COVID-19, and 1,254 deaths.

Maine currently has the 22nd-highest cases per capita in the United States, with a daily average of 37.6 cases per 100,000 population over the past seven days, compared to the national daily average of 27 cases per 100,000, according to the Harvard Global Health Institute. Michigan and Minnesota are currently the hardest-hit states, with cases averaging about 75 cases per 100,000. Florida and Hawaii currently have the lowest cases per capita, at about 7 cases per 100,000 population.

Previously, boosters were recommended only for those 65 and older or those with immunodeficiencies, or for adults who originally received the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. A federal advisory panel is set to review data Friday on the benefits of expanding booster eligibility, but Maines governor said the state is not waiting. Four other states Colorado, California, New Mexico, and Arkansas have opened eligibility as well.

Maines strong vaccination rate is saving lives and reducing hospitalizations and deaths, said Jeanne Lambrew, Maines health and human services commissioner, in a statement on Wednesday. But, with the continued surge of the delta variant, we must do all we can to protect Maine people from this deadly virus and ease the burden on our health care workers. Now, every Maine adult can get a booster shot to protect themselves, their loved ones, and their communities.

Cases have started to increase again across the country, stoking fears of another deadly wave as the holiday season approaches. According to the U.S. CDC, the seven-day case average is 83,671, an 11 percent increase from 75,186 cases on average two weeks earlier. Deaths are still averaging more than 1,000 per day across the country and more than 760,000 people have lost their lives to the virus since the pandemic began.

On the vaccination front, 952,425 Maine people have received their final dose of the vaccine, representing 70.9 percent of the states 1.3 million population.

With the rollout of vaccination for children ages 5-11 continuing into its third week, 16.8 percent of elementary schoolchildren in Maine have received their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, which was approved in early November by federal regulators. In Cumberland County, where uptake of the vaccine is highest, 29 percent of children ages 5-11 have received their first dose, while rural counties such as Piscataquis, Somerset and Washington counties, less than 6 percent of elementary schoolchildren have gotten their first shot.

This story will be updated

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Maine reports 933 new cases of COVID-19, boosters expanded to everyone 18 and older - Press Herald