Maine CDC unsure when vaccine will reach inmates
December 23, 2020 GMT
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) Public health authorities in Maine said Wednesday it’s impossible to know when coronavirus vaccines could reach inmates in the state’s prisons and jails because of the limited supply of the vaccine.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Maine has called on the state to prioritize prisons, jails and detention facilities in its vaccine plans. Inmates “live in crowded facilities where social distancing is not possible,” said Meagan Sway, ACLU Maine’s policy director.
Maine is in the midst of rolling out coronavirus vaccines to front-line health workers and residents of long-term care facilities. The state has vaccinated more than 8,000 people so far, but supply constraints make it difficult to plan too far into the future, said Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Maine CDC.
PHOENIX The top doctor for Arizona's largest hospital chain said Wednesday that three Banner Health hospitals are operating above capacity as the state confronts a surge in coronavirus cases. Dr. Marjorie Bessel, chief clinical officer, says Banner’s Desert, Thunderbird and University hospitals in the Phoenix area have more patients than they’re typically licensed to handle. Systemwide, Banner’s intensive care units are at 160% of their typical winter peak, and nearly six in 10 ICU patients have COVID-19. Non-emergency procedures, such as cancer surgeries and hip replacements, have been
ACLU of Maine: Prioritize prisons, jails in vaccine distribution
The organization sent a letter to state officials urging them to consider vaccinating residents of prisons, where several major COVID-19 outbreaks have occurred.
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The outbreak at the Maine Correctional Center in Windham, first reported on Oct. 29, has become the largest single-site outbreak in the state. Gordon Chibroski / Portland Press Herald file photo
The American Civil Liberties Union of Maine is calling on state health officials to prioritize residents and staff of prisons and jails in their COVID-19 vaccination plan.
The advocacy organization sent a letter Monday to the Department of Health and Human Services and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention asking that these individuals be included in Phase 1 of the state’s vaccine distribution plan. Several states, including Massachusetts, plan to vaccinate incarcerated individuals in the first wave.
Viewpoint: Maine asset
By Ellen L. Dohmen
How truly lucky we Mainers are! Our legislators were smart enough, careful enough and forward thinking enough to elect Shenna Bellows as the first woman ever to be our secretary of state.
Shenna Bellows has a history of standing up for every citizen, of championing the rights of minorities and fighting for fairness in government. As a state senator for the past four years, she has made a point to solicit input from individuals all over the state of Maine, listening and working to make sure all voices are heard.
The recent November election has certainly shown us the importance of the role of secretary of state in supporting and protecting the rights of every voter. Shenna has supported automatic voter registration, election audits, ranked choice voting and a national popular vote. She states that “free and fair elections are fundamental to everything else we care about.” And at a time when confidence in the integrity