Covid & Vaccine Update: April 1

There were 30 new cases of Covid-19 diagnosed in Sanford in the 7-day period ending March 28, and 8 more in Springvale, for a total of 38 new cases in our community this week. This is down from last week’s spike of 53 cases, but is still higher than the numbers for the previous several weeks. The combined cumulative total of cases in Sanford/Springvale now stands at 1,431.

There have been 589 new cases of the virus in York County in the past two weeks. There were 447 new cases in the previous two weeks. York County is currently leading the state in numbers of new infections as well as rate of cases per 1,000 residents. There was one death of a person with Covid-19 in York County in the first four weeks of March.

Overall in the state of Maine, 32.41% of residents have received the first dose of the vaccine, while 20.61% are fully vaccinated. York County is still lagging behind a bit, with our numbers at 30.28% and 18.11% respectively.

In his Tuesday press briefing, Maine CDC Director Dr. Nirav Shah stressed that vaccine appointments are readily available across the state for people age 50 and over. “This is your week,” he said, urging anyone in that age group to register now for their shot.

Governor Janet Mills announced today that all Mainers age 16 and over will be eligible to get the vaccine beginning Wednesday, April 7. This acceleration of Maine’s vaccination timeline comes as the state is expected to receive a significant increase in vaccine supply from the Federal government. Consent from a parent or legal guardian is required to vaccinate anyone under age 18.