A public-private partnership boosts Maine’s vaccination rates

Despite many demographic and infrastructure challenges, Maine is leading vaccination efforts in the United States. In 2021, Maine was the state with the highest percentage of its population fully vaccinated against COVID-19 with few racial and ethnic inequities, even though it faced challenges such as a large rural population and no statewide network of county public health departments. Maine’s nonprofit integrated health systems, including MaineHealth and Northern Light Health, stepped up to meet the need. This public-private partnership enabled Maine to open mass public vaccination sites with the aid of additional community partnerships.