NORWAY — Stephens Memorial Hospital knows it is coming. Already pushed to its limits by this fall’s COVID-19 surge in the form of the delta variant, the even more contagious omicron is expected to overtake Maine’s overburdened health care system by the end of this week.
Reports from the Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention were delayed by the Christmas holiday, but figures released Tuesday reported 1,423 new cases in Maine since Christmas Eve, and the number is expected to adjust upward as records are updated.
Omicron was first detected in eastern Maine the week of Dec. 12 and within days accounted for 10% of the state’s new cases. Officials at the Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, which monitors coronavirus strains for the state, told the Press Herald on Tuesday that they expect omicron to overtake delta as the dominant variant by the end of this week.
SMH Spokesperson Jennifer Long said Monday that omicron has not yet been detected in Norway. But even without it, COVID patients have filled the hospital’s intensive care four-bed unit. Overall, nine inpatients were positive for the virus. Long said that there were three open beds at that time.
Taylor Bourque, an RN at Stephens Memorial Hospital in Norway, dons PPE while working in the negative pressure COVID-19 wing. Gregory Rec/Portland Press Herald file
“Consistent with our commitment to help prevent community spread of COVID-19 and to safeguard our patients and care team, Stephens has limited visitation for our outpatient practices and has restricted visitors for inpatient settings unless they are receiving end-of-life care,” Long wrote in an email statement. The hospital’s visitation policy can be found on Western Maine Health’s website: mainehealth.org.
SMH’s Chief Medical Officer Ryan Knapp also released the following statement:
“We continue to see high levels of hospitalization and limited capacity here at Stephens and across the state. We are bracing for the post-holiday surge combined with what is likely to be a surge related to omicron, even if it ends up being slightly less likely to cause severe illness. As part of that planning we are further limiting our ability to do non-emergent procedures, and so many of our patients will have delays in getting that kind of care for the time being.
“We continue to emphasize that vaccination is the best way to prevent severe COVID and hopefully flatten the curve to the point where our hospital system in the state does not become overwhelmed. We urge those that are unvaccinated to reconsider their choice. For those that are vaccinated, we urge you all to get a booster. This is particularly important for omicron.”
Long said that Western Maine Health continues to hold vaccination clinics at the Ripley Medical Office Building at 193 Main St. in Norway. Hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday.
“Appointments are preferred, though walk-in is an option,” she said.
For more information and to schedule an appointment, visit mainehealth.org/vaccine.
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