As the grip of COVID-19 appears to be lessening in Lincoln County, LincolnHealth has announced St. Andrews Urgent Care Center will re-open May 19. The Center’s hours will be from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, with the exception of Christmas Day and Thanksgiving Day, when the center will be closed.

Urgent Care Services were temporarily suspended December 4 to strengthen LincolnHealth’s response to the surge in COVID-19 cases and to assure continued care for patients with other health emergencies.

“We believe the Urgent Care Center team can return to Boothbay Harbor and we can manage emergent needs effectively in Damariscotta,” said Timothy Fox, MD, LincolnHealth’s Chief Medical Officer. “While we recognize the impact of COVID-19 is not yet over, there is hope that the spread of the disease will continue its decline as more people are vaccinated.”

Patients who go to the Urgent Care Center for treatment of non-life-threatening injury or illness will be met by a greeter and asked several screening questions before entering. Each Urgent Care team member also completes a screening before starting work each day.

All patients and team members will be required to wear a surgical/procedural mask, which will be provided if needed. In most cases, visitors are not allowed.

The Urgent Care Center care team is composed of experienced emergency medicine providers, nurses and support team members who are dedicated to providing high-quality, efficient care.

Common conditions managed at the Urgent Care Center include:

• Ear infections

• Sore throat without difficulty swallowing or breathing

• Bloody noses

• Eye infections, irritation or minor trauma

• Dental pain

• Congestion, sinus pressure, cough

• Headaches (recurrent or mild)

• Minor head injury without loss of consciousness

• Mild asthma

• Mild abdominal pain

• Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea

• Urinary symptoms

• Symptoms of sexual transmitted disease

• Mild back pain (able to walk)

• Animal bites, puncture wounds, lacerations, skin infections

• Wound checks (stitch removal, dressing change, evaluate for infection)

• Tick bites, insect bites, stings

• Mild allergic reactions without difficulty swallowing or breathing

• Minor burns

• Skin rashes

• Blisters, ingrown toe nails

• Bone injuries without exposed bone or severe deformity

• Sport injuries

• Falls with minor injuries

• Joint or muscle pain

More serious, potentially life-threatening conditions, like seizures, severe abdominal pain, or potential drug overdose require evaluation at the emergency department. LincolnHealth’s emergency department is on the Miles campus in Damariscotta.

Please call 9-1-1 if you have heart attack symptoms, including chest pain/pressure/tightness, shortness of breath, sweating, nausea; or stroke symptoms (sudden weakness and/or numbness often on one side of body, speech or vision changes, dizziness). These symptoms require immediate evaluation at the nearest emergency department.

COVID-19 testing requires a physician’s order and can be conducted at the Urgent Care Center if a patient has symptoms of the virus.