MaineHealth Begins to Offer Targeted Community-Based Vaccination Clinics in Portland Area
PORTLAND, Maine – MaineHealth will begin offering targeted community-based vaccination clinics in the Portland area, beginning with two days at the iconic Becky’s Diner on Wednesday, June 2, and Thursday, June 3.
MaineHealth recently closed its largest clinic at the former Scarborough Downs and is still operating clinics in Westbrook and Sanford. Running small, targeted clinics is a further effort to bring vaccinations to the community with convenience and efficiency.
In addition to generously offering her space and facilities to aid in this important public health effort, diner owner Becky Rand will give a $15 Becky’s Diner gift certificate to everyone who gets vaccinated.
“Becky's Diner caters to a wide variety of people. Our hope is that bringing the vaccine to our business will help it reach a segment of the population that has not received a vaccination for what is likely a wide range of reasons,” Rand said. “The restaurant industry, like so many other industries, has seen a lot of changes over the past year due to COVID-19. The vaccination effort that has been put forth will lead us back to a sense of normalcy that the whole community can look forward to. We are thrilled to play a small role in that effort.”
MaineHealth’s efforts so far have contributed to Maine’s strong vaccination performance. Maine has the second-highest percentage of fully vaccinated people in the nation, according to the CDC, at 52.9 percent of all Maine residents. In addition, 70 percent of Maine residents age 12 or older have received their first shot of vaccine.
“Our large clinics were instrumental in getting a significant portion of the population vaccinated, and now we’re turning our efforts to provide even more convenient vaccinations for the remaining unvaccinated members of our community,” said Joel Botler, MD, MMC’s Chief Medical Officer and President of Maine Medical Partners. “Statewide, vaccinations have had a great and positive impact on our friends, families and neighbors. Working with wonderful community partners like Becky’s Diner keeps that critical momentum going.”
Becky’s Diner Community Vaccination Clinic
- Dates: Wednesday, June 2 and Thursday, June 3
- Time: 6 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Ages: 18+ (Johnson & Johnson)
- Where: Becky’s Diner, 390 Commercial Street, Portland
MaineHealth has also been offering clinics at area school districts, and plans to offer future community-based vaccination clinics with other partners, including Portland House of Music, with a clinic scheduled for that location at 25 Temple Street in Portland on July 7 and July 12, 8 p.m. – 11 p.m., 18+ J&J.
Information about future MaineHealth community-based clinics in the Portland area and across the state of Maine will be shared at https://www.mainehealth.org/Coronavirus-COVID-19/Walk-In-COVID-19-Vacci….
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About Maine Medical Center
Maine Medical Center (MMC), recognized as a Best Regional Hospital by U.S. News and World Report for 2020-2021, is a complete health care resource for the people of Greater Portland and the entire state, as well as northern New England. Incorporated in 1868, MMC is the state’s largest medical center, licensed for 637 beds and employing more than 9,600 people. MMC's unique role as both a community hospital and a referral center requires an unparalleled depth and breadth of services, including an active educational program and a world-class biomedical research center. As a nonprofit institution, Maine Medical Center provides nearly 23 percent of all the charity care delivered in Maine. MMC is part of the MaineHealth system, a growing family of health care services in northern New England. For more information, visit www.mmc.org.