COVID-19 News and Updates

Hello all,

Nina Duggan here with the latest COVID-19 news and updates. This week we will be discussing Healthy Acadia’s latest crowdsourcing initiative to gain a youth perspective on COVID-19 as kids head back to school, the state of COVID-19 in Maine, and the new bivalent vaccines now widely available.

COVID Communication:

Healthy Acadia Seeking Youth Submissions of COVID-19 Vaccination Stories

Healthy Acadia is seeking input from residents of Hancock or Washington County regarding life as a young person during the pandemic. We want to hear from the youth community your stories of life during the pandemic and why you feel it’s important for you and those around you to be fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus.

Through an initiative funded by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Program, now through September 25th, Healthy Acadia will award a stipend of $25 per story (up to a maximum of 5 paid submissions per person). Stories may be submitted as 30-60 second videos or in writing (150 words or less) via email. Individuals ages 5 and older who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 and reside within Hancock or Washington County are encouraged to participate in this new creative initiative to combat the pandemic. 

These stories will be shared across Healthy Acadia’s social media platforms, with the potential for them to be further used as radio PSAs in the future.

All stories should be submitted to Nina Duggan at nina.duggan@healthyacadia.org. 

COVID in the News:

State of COVID-19 in Maine

Cases are down across the state by about 25% over the past two weeks, with an increase in hospitalizations of about 7%. Test positivity is hovering at about 8.7%, and much of the state is in the low or medium transmission rate category according to the CDC. Those in a county with medium transmission should be taking the proper precautions including wearing a mask and testing.

To find the transmission rate in your county, use the CDC’s COVID-19 by County tool found here.

Bivalent Vaccines Now Available

On August 31, the FDA granted emergency use authorization of the Moderna and Pfizer bivalent vaccine formulations as single-dose booster shots. The Moderna vaccine is authorized for individuals 18 years and older who are at least two months out from their primary series or their last booster vaccination, and the Pfizer vaccine follows a similar time frame but is available to those 12 years and older.

The updated boosters include protection for the original strain of COVID-19 as well as for the omicron BA.4 and BA.5 lineages. These two omicron variants are currently responsible for the majority of cases in the United States and are expected to circulate more broadly in the fall and winter months as people head indoors.

This updated booster cannot be used for the primary vaccine series, but mixing and matching is still acceptable (i.e. if you received Pfizer as your primary series you can receive Moderna’s version of this booster).

Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid, and select local pharmacies are currently offering vaccination appointments.

Links and sources: FDA Authorization Announcement, CDC Media Statement, PBS What to Know About the Updated COVID-19 Booster

Featured in the Field:

Dr. Noc, PhD

Dr. Noc is a Ph.D. immunologist and science communicator who creates informative and entertaining videos on the science of public health.

 You can find him on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

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Follow Healthy Acadia on TikTok (@healthyacadia) for more updates!

If you or anyone you know have questions or concerns about COVID-19 or the available vaccines please call or text our COVID-19 Peer Support Line at 207-271-6023, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.