Dear UMPI community,

As you may have seen, the University of Maine System has launched a “This Is Our Shot, Maine” vaccination drive. Now that people age 16 and older can get their COVID-19 vaccines, we’re working together to encourage as many students and employees as possible to get vaccinated this spring, so we can have the safest summer and fall possible.

As I mentioned in my April 2 message to campus, we want to ensure you have all the resources you need to get your vaccine. We have created a new page (https://www.umpi.edu/return/vaccine/) on our Safe Return website where we’ll be posting the latest vaccine info for our region. Please be sure to check out that page for the most up-to-date information. Just a few items to note here:

• Linda Mastro, UMPI Director of Health Services, will be our go-to source for questions about vaccines. Please feel free to reach out to her at linda.mastro@maine.edu or 768-9586 should you have any questions.
• Vaccines (Moderna and Pfizer) require two shots, several weeks apart. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires one shot, but there hasn’t been much availability in our area yet.
• If you’re 16 or 17, you’ll need to get the Pfizer vaccine, as that is the only one authorized by the Food and Drug Administration for your age group. Parental/guardian consent is required.

In order to get both shots before the end of the spring semester, you have three potential options, depending on if you are local, from outside of Aroostook County, or out-of-state:

• Get the vaccine from a local hospital. For Presque Isle, get the vaccine at Northern Light A.R. Gould Hospital by this Friday, April 9; the second dose would be given Friday, April 30. Use this link to register: https://covid.northernlighthealth.org/. For the Houlton area, get the vaccine at Houlton Regional Hospital. Use this link to register: https://www2.houltonregional.org/book/.
• Get the vaccine from Walgreens. Walgreens will only vaccinate Maine residents, and only if they show a valid Maine ID, such as a driver’s license. Please note: if you get your first shot in Presque Isle you must get your second shot in Presque Isle; you cannot go to another Walgreens and get the second shot. To schedule an appointment, visit https://www.walgreens.com/findcare/vaccination/covid-19 or call 764-5221 and follow the instructions.
• Get the vaccine from Walmart. Walmart will vaccinate anyone who shows a valid proof of age. Please note: You will be able to get your second shot at any Walmart pharmacy in the country. You will need to call your local Walmart pharmacy and give them your name and information (you may also need to show your shot card to the pharmacist) and the date you were scheduled for your second dose of vaccine. You will then be put on a call list for the date of your scheduled second dose. To schedule an appointment, visit https://www.walmart.com/cp/1228302 or call 764-8485 and follow the instructions.

Transportation to any of these vaccination sites can be arranged by contact Fred Thomas at 768-9580.

If we learn that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is going to be used at any of these sites, we will update that information on our Vaccine Info page.

Thank you again for your work to keep our campus safe, now and in the coming months. This is our shot to keep each other and our loved ones safe, so please get your vaccine as soon as you are able to do so this spring.

Ray