AUGUSTA – The Maine Legislature and MaineGeneral Medical Center will share use of the Augusta Civic Center this week as the Maine Legislature holds a legislative session day and MaineGeneral continues with its COVID-19 vaccination clinic. Both Senate President Troy Jackson of Allagash and Chuck Hays, President and CEO of MaineGeneral Health, are confident that the Augusta Civic Center can accommodate the two events simultaneously.
“When Chuck first called me about using the Augusta Civic Center for a COVID-19 vaccination clinic in January, I was immediately on board. Together, we worked with the leadership team at the Augusta Civic Center to ensure both events could happen simultaneously in a safe and effective manner. I simply was not willing to let the Maine Legislature stand in the way of Maine people trying to get a COVID-19 vaccine,” said Jackson. “Getting Mainers vaccinated is key to reopening our communities and economy. I’m grateful to Chuck, the hardworking staff at MaineGeneral, and the people at the Augusta Civic Center for being great partners on this effort.”
“We’ve been working with legislative leadership and the State of Maine to ensure that both the legislative session and the community vaccination clinics can occur at the same time in the same building,” said Hays.
“This is another in a series of partnerships during the pandemic that put the best interests of our community first. I appreciate the collaboration we’ve developed that will help legislators do their work on behalf of the people of Maine and also help MaineGeneral continue to vaccinate area residents.”
Jackson and Hays said they have worked closely with the Augusta Civic Center management to identify the areas that will be used for each purpose. Separate spaces and entrances will keep the legislative business and vaccination clinic independent of each other when operating at the same time.
“We’ve worked hard to establish plans that ensure the safety, security and effective operations for all,” Hays said.
“The men and women at MaineGeneral have undertaken an enormous task to get Mainers vaccinated as efficiently as possible. I know how anxious folks are to get their shots and get on with their lives. It’s why the Maine Legislature is committed to doing what we can to ensure the clinic can continue to operate smoothly while we’re under the same roof,” said Jackson.
As of Friday, March 26, MaineGeneral provided more than 16,300 vaccinations of community members, 14,700 of which have been given at the Augusta Civic Center.
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