AUGUSTA — Governor Janet Mills announced Friday that 80 percent of Maine residents who are eligible for a vaccine (ages 12+) are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the U.S. CDC.

Maine is the fourth state in the nation to achieve the milestone.

“I applaud the 80 percent of Maine people age 12 and older who have rolled up their sleeves to do what’s right for themselves, their neighbors, and their communities,” said Governor Mills. “With the more dangerous and infectious Delta variant driving serious illness and hospitalizations, especially among those who are unvaccinated, I encourage all Maine people to talk to their health care providers and to get vaccinated as soon as possible. The vaccine is safe, effective, and free, and it can save your life or someone else’s.”

“Maine people should take pride in reaching this milestone in our ongoing fight against COVID-19,” said Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services and Nirav D. Shah, Director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. “But we can’t let up now. One in five Maine residents who can get fully vaccinated has not done so. Unvaccinated people represent two-thirds of hospitalized COVID-19 cases in Maine today. If you haven’t yet rolled up your sleeve, we urge you to get vaccinated as soon as possible. COVID-19 vaccines are free, safe, and widely available throughout Maine.”

The U.S. CDC percentage takes into account the number of people age 12 to 17 who have received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine, the number of people age 18 and older who have received two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, and the number of people age 18 and older who have received the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

The U.S. CDC percentage also includes some individuals who are not counted in the Maine CDC’s vaccination tracker such as those vaccinated through the Veterans Administration, the Indian Health Services, and Department of Defense.

The COVID-19 vaccine is available at no charge at sites across the state. For information on getting a COVID-19 vaccine, visit Maine.gov/covid19/vaccines or call the Community Vaccination Line at 1-888-445-4111.