Last week Governor Mills announced that all Mainers age 16 and above will be eligible to access the Covid-19 vaccine at no cost as of Wednesday, April 7. The director of the Maine CDC, Dr. Nirav Shah, announced in the same press conference that college students from out of state who currently attend college in Maine can also get the vaccine in Maine as of April 7. A valid MMA student identification is sufficient to show you are eligible for the vaccine.  This is an exciting and critical step for our country, state, and MMA to achieve general population immunity, keep our most vulnerable populations safe, fully re-open businesses, and return to as many face-to-face classes and activities as possible in the fall. Vaccinations will also reduce our need for testing and quarantine prior to cruise. Many cadet shipping and co-op employers are requiring proof of vaccination prior to employment. Many potential port calls for the State of Maine and Bowdoin require all persons aboard to be vaccinated to allow individuals off the ship and into the community. Having everyone aboard the vessel vaccinated also greatly reduces the risk of serious illness developing from COVID-19 and increases the opportunities for port excursions.

Who Can Get the Vaccine?  When?

Maine residents 16 and older are eligible as of Wednesday, April 7.

Out of state residents who attend Maine Maritime Academy are eligible for the vaccine as of Wednesday, April 7. You will need to show your MMA ID as part of the process. When you are registering for an appointment, use the Castine zip code:  04420 and county: Hancock.

Where Can I Get the Vaccine?

We have arranged for a special community clinic on campus on Thursday, April 8^th from 9:30 to 3:30 pm.  You may sign up by sending an email to VaccineClinic@mma.edu.  Reservations will be taken on a first come, first-served basis.  We encourage students participating in Cruise A and the first Bowdoin cruise as well as students enrolled in CD203A and CE203A to make an appointment if they are not already vaccinated.

If you are not able to secure an appointment for tomorrow, MMA recommends that you make an appointment through another provider as the Maine CDC has indicated that they do not have a timeframe yet for when they can provide additional supplies of the vaccine for clinics on college campuses.

Local hospitals, Walgreens, Community Pharmacy in Bucksport, and Walmart all have supplies of the vaccine.

How Can I Pre-register for a Vaccine Appointment off-campus?

You can pre-register here Maine – State of Maine for an appointment at one of the many vaccine clinics in our area:

You may also wish to register directly through one of these local providers:

Northern Light:  COVID19-Vaccination-Scheduling-Guide_03-03-21.pdf.aspx (northernlighthealth.org)

Walgreen’s: COVID-19 Vaccine: FAQs & Distribution Information | Walgreens

MDI Hospital: MDI Hospital: COVID-19 Vaccine

Hannaford:  Patient Advisory (rxtouch.com)

You will need your insurance information to sign up for most vaccine appointments; however, it is our understanding that you will not be charged for your vaccine.

Which Vaccine Should I Get?

Generally, you should get whichever vaccine is easiest for you to get as soon as possible. However, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two shots, at least 3 weeks apart, given at the same location. If you are going on Cruise A or leaving the state, you may want to get the Johnson and Johnson one-shot vaccine as you will not be able to be in Maine for your second Pfizer or Moderna shot.  The J and J vaccine is only authorized for individuals 18 and older.

More information about the 3 safe and effective vaccines which have been approved for use in the United States are available here: Vaccines | Covid-19 (maine.gov).

Will I Be Required to Get the Vaccine to Go on Cruise or Cadet Ship or Complete a Co-op

The Academy strongly recommends that all persons aboard for cruise be vaccinated in order to make the Ship as safe as possible for all and to allow opportunities to disembark while in port.  Any student or employee (crew, faculty, staff) who have concerns with being vaccinated should immediately report to the Commandant, John Cashman, to discuss their concerns.  This will enable the Academy to determine whether, and if so how, there is an effective way for such persons to still be able to participate in this cruise or if other arrangements must be made.

For Cadet-shipping and Co-op – employers will make their own decisions regarding requirements; thus, being vaccinated will maximize your employment options.

Will I Still Need to Quarantine and Be Tested Prior to Cruise if I am vaccinated?

If you are fully vaccinated (2 weeks after your last shot) you will not need to quarantine. For cruise A, that would mean that you have already completed the vaccination process prior to April 1^st. Thus, all receiving the vaccine on Thursday will still need to quarantine. You do still need to test, as there is still some possibility that vaccinated individuals can be asymptomatic carriers of the virus.

Will I be Required to Be Vaccinated to Return to Campus in the Fall?

We encourage all students to be vaccinated before they return to campus in the fall. Until there is clear guidance from public health authorities concerning the vaccine, the Academy is not in a position to mandate vaccination.