Fully Vaccinated Staff test Positive at Maine Medical Center ED

An outbreak among staff in the emergency department at Maine Medical Center is currently under investigation. The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention was made aware of the possible outbreak on August 5. Representatives did not confirm a specific number, but did say that "some” of the staff members who have tested positive, are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 

So far, nine members of the emergency department staff have tested positive for Covid-19. There are members of other departments at Maine Medical Center who have tested positive for a current total of 16 infected individuals. Officials have said that they have alerted any staff and patients who may have come in contact with any of these individuals. As of the time of this story, no patients had tested positive. A statement released said that the hospital will continue to test the emergency department staff at regular intervals.  

Officials from Maine Medical Center spoke to multiple media outlets on Monday, stating that 87.2% of the staff is fully vaccinated. Just last week, the hospital announced that they will require all staff to be fully vaccinated by October. Dora-Ann Mill, MD, Chief Health Improvement Officer of Maine Health, said last week “to be consistent with our values, and to protect our colleagues, families, patients, and communities, we believe it is paramount that all care team members be vaccinated.” 

The hospital and nurses' union representatives assured staff that they would be given personal protective equipment to use. Maine has been dealing with several breakthrough cases in recent weeks and it is causing some hesitancy among those who have yet to receive a dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.