For Immediate Release
December 29, 2020
Contact: Angel Matson, Public Information Coordinator
(207) 992-4268
angel.matson@bangormaine.gov
City of Bangor receives initial round of Moderna SARS-CoV-2 vaccine
BANGOR, MAINE – The City of Bangor, through Maine EMS, has received an initial round of doses of the Moderna SARS-CoV-2 vaccine to prevent COVID-19. Those doses, which were received on Monday, will be provided to emergency medical providers including those employed by the Bangor Fire Department. The workers receiving this first round of vaccinations are individuals licensed by Maine EMS.
The deployment of the vaccine began Tuesday morning.
A regional vaccination plan was created in alignment with the U.S. CDC’s vaccine allocation strategy. In the first phase, known as Phase 1A, the CDC has designated healthcare personnel, emergency medical technicians, and long-term care facility residents as the individuals who will be receiving the initial doses. The CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices determined this prioritization due to the overall risk to these populations contracting the virus. Through a cooperative effort and in partnership with Maine EMS, the City of Bangor, East Millinocket Fire Department, and Northern Light Medical Transport are collaborating to provide vaccinations to the frontline licensed EMS workers in Penobscot County. For details about the Maine EMS Public Safety COVID Vaccination Plan, visit: https://www.maine.gov/ems/node/495.
The City of Bangor is a designated COVID-19 Vaccine Provider with the U.S. CDC as well as the Maine CDC. As such, the City is eligible to receive direct shipments of the vaccine that will expand the vaccination effort beyond EMS providers in the future. An exact timeline of future shipments is not known.
The City of Bangor is engaged with our partners in healthcare to make the vaccine accessible to all residents as quickly as allowable based on the timeline set in place by federal and state officials. The City understands that residents, many of whom have high risk health conditions, want to receive this vaccination. Because the supply of vaccine is limited nationwide, the CDC has provided recommendations to local governments about the order in which blocks of the population should be vaccinated, and the City of Bangor’s plan follows that guidance. When larger quantities of the vaccine become available, the City and its partners will expand the access to immunizations consistent with the CDC authorization.
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The City of Bangor, Maine is a service center community of 33,039 residents and is the county seat of Penobscot County. Bangor is the major commercial and cultural center for much of northern and eastern Maine. The City is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. For more information on City projects and news, see bangormaine.gov.