Central Maine Medical Center announced early in the week that is was suspending pediatric and trauma admissions due to “acute nursing staffing shortages in key areas.”

State health officials signaled Wednesday that they do not plan to ease the state requirement that all health care workers at designated facilities must get vaccinated against COVID-19 by the end of the month, but said they will continue to help Central Maine Medical Center work through its staffing issues in any way they can.

Maine Republican leaders issued a media release this week after meeting with members of the leadership team at Central Maine Healthcare and members of the Androscoggin Delegation calling for the Legislature to reconvene and amend the Governor’s mandate to allow for a testing exemption.

Governor Janet Mills issued the following statement in response to Republicans in the State Legislature pushing to weaken the state’s requirement that health care workers be vaccinated against COVID-19.

People should not delay seeking emergency care at Central Maine Medical Center, the chief medical officer for the hospital’s parent company said Thursday, even as the hospital works through what its CEO called “acute staffing shortages.”

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Central Maine Healthcare appoints Steve Littleson president and CEO—Sun Journal

Littleson had been serving as the interim president and CEO since July. He took over from Jeff Brickman, the embattled former executive, who said in April that he would retire this year. Brickman continues to serve as an adviser to the board. Click here for full story and here for the CMHC media release on the announcement.

Story links:

Central Maine Medical Center temporarily stops pediatric and trauma admissions—Sun Journal

State health officials say they are working with CMMC on staffing shortages, but changes to vaccine requirement appear unlikely—Sun Journal

Republican Maine Legislative Leaders Call for Testing Exemption to Vaccine Mandate—Maine Senate GOP Website

Governor Mills Responds to Republican Leaders’ Demand to Weaken COVID-19 Public Health Measures—Governor’s website

‘Do not delay emergency care,’ Central Maine Medical Center officials say—Sun Journal