MAINE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Me. (September 25th, 2021) -- Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic hit, the world has gone through a tectonic shift and left the medical fraternity working tirelessly to accomplish the herculean task of vaccinating populations against the virus. Medical practitioners in the Maine Air National Guard have got it no different. The Medical Squadron is charged with the onerous duty of keeping not only the Maineiacs but their families safe too.
“We're trying to keep all of our troops as safe as we can. We need them to be able to be there to serve the needs of the country. And in addition to that, to do that, you need the manpower and people not out of work because of illness,” said Col. Dan Gott who is the Senior Flight Surgeon for the 101st ARW and Maine State Air Surgeon.
The promising vaccination rate was not achieved overnight and required a lot of effort from the medical group and the commanders who coordinate with their squadrons. The process to vaccinate a unit of about 1000 troops is not only riddled with logistical issues but is impeded by apprehensions against the vaccine. One of the main concerns that are holding people back from vaccination is that they feel the Covid-19 vaccine did not go through the due process of testing and therefore could lead to complications later.
Col. Gott believes that the fact that over 80% of the MeANG members are fully immunized against COVID-19 and are doing fine will act as a positive reinforcement for the apprehensive lot and encourage them to get the shot as well. “Our local experience with the COVID vaccine has been excellent and we have not encountered any significant adverse reactions in our members.” explained Col. Gott.
“Local and national data has clearly shown that significant COVID-19 related illness, that is enough to require hospitalization, is now an illness of the unvaccinated with few exceptions. We have vaccinated members that have contracted COVID-19, however, the immunity afforded by their immunization has kept symptoms to a minimum.”
Besides allaying fears and concerns around the Covid-19 vaccine, the medical team at the 101st Medical Squadron on a daily basis has to coordinate between teams at different locations and manage a smooth flow and availability of the vaccines.
Maintaining stocks of vaccines is a major challenge since each vaccine requires to be kept in different optimum conditions. Some of the vaccines are located off-site where freezers are provided specifically for their storage. Once taken out of the cold chain, they are required to be administered within a certain time frame.
Undeterred by the many challenges of keeping the vaccination drive running, the medical squadron has kept the mission rolling and does not seem to tire or lose its spirit. In true Maineiac fashion, the 101st has always stepped up when needed and do what it takes to weather the storm during this pandemic so that we can remain healthy and ready for when we are needed.