AUGUSTA, Maine (WGAN) All adult Mainers who have been vaccinated against coronavirus are now eligible for booster shots.

Gov. Janet Mills announced Wednesday the change would take effect immediately, allowing vaccinated Mainers over the age of 18 to receive a booster shot regardless of underlying medical conditions.

It comes as the state continues to see record high numbers of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations. On the day of the announcement, the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported another 1,042 cases, the highest number recorded in the state since the start of the pandemic.

280 people are in Maine’s hospitals with the virus, setting another record high for the fourth consecutive day.

No new deaths were reported Wednesday.

“With Maine and other New England states confronting a sustained surge, and with cold weather sending people indoors, we want to simplify the federal government’s complicated eligibility guidelines and make getting a booster shot as straightforward and easy as possible,” said Gov. Mills.

To get a booster shot, residents must have completed the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna vaccine series at least six months ago or received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least two months ago.

Despite high transmission of the virus in the state, about 74% of eligible Maine residents have been vaccinated, and so far more than 178,000 booster shots have been administered.

Since becoming eligible for the Pfizer vaccine earlier this month, more than 14,000 Maine children ages 5-11 have been vaccinated.

Other states including California, Vermont, Colorado, New Mexico, Arkansas and West Virginia have also expanded booster eligibility, according to the AP.

To schedule a booster shot, you can find a list of vaccination sites here.