Joe Lawlor

Press Herald

Joe Lawlor writes about health and human services for the Press Herald. A 24-year newspaper veteran, Lawlor has worked in Ohio, Michigan and Virginia before relocating to Maine in 2013 to join the Press Herald. He is still considered “from away” but since then, he has learned what a “dooryard” is, eaten “whoopie pies” drank Moxie and boiled some “lobstahs.” The stories he enjoys most are when he learns something and meeting inspiring people. He lives in South Portland - aka “SoPo” - with his wife, Melanie, and two school-age children.

Latest

Published
September 27, 2021

COVID-19 hospitalizations remain at near-record levels in Maine

Maine saw declines in patients in critical care and needing a ventilator on Monday, while the overall number of patients in hospitals remained the same.
Published
September 26, 2021

Maine just had one of the darkest weeks of the pandemic and winter is coming: What’s next?

National infectious disease experts say the only thing to count on is the virus’s unpredictability.
Published
September 22, 2021

Spike in COVID-19 hospitalizations continues as Maine reports 614 new cases and 5 more deaths

The number of patients in intensive care continued to rise higher into record territory Wednesday, with the delta variant spreading in all parts of the state.
Published
September 21, 2021

Governor acknowledges an ‘unwelcome milestone’

The state also reported a record number of patients in hospitals, including in intensive care.
Published
September 20, 2021

Parents hopeful as medical providers prepare to give COVID vaccines to younger children

Pfizer is expected to soon submit data to the FDA, paving the way for approval for elementary-aged children as soon as next month.
Published
September 19, 2021

Antibody treatment emerges as new weapon in pandemic, but supplies are limited

While Maine hospitals have expanded use of the medication significantly in recent months, there is still not enough of it to fully meet the demand.
Published
September 13, 2021

Maine has record number of COVID patients on ventilators

In two weeks, the number of infected people who need ventilators to breathe has jumped from 28 to 40.
Published
September 10, 2021

Maine reports 14 outbreaks in schools along with 506 new cases of COVID-19

Hundreds of unvaccinated students who have come into close contact with infected students are now at home in quarantine.
Published
September 8, 2021

State struggles with backlog of positive tests as COVID-19 surge continues

Maine reported 732 new cases Wednesday for a 4-day period, but that’s only the number of positive tests the state could verify and process, not the actual number of people who tested positive.
Published
September 7, 2021

MaineHealth network postponing some elective procedures to make room for COVID-19 surge

With Maine’s case counts now the worst in New England, there is ‘no end in sight’ to when hospitals can resume normal operations, a hospital executive says.