Coronavirus News
Find current Maine COVID guidelines at VisitMaine.com
May 14, 2020
Chamber Survey Gives Glimpse Into Impact On Maine Businesses
The Maine Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (MACCE) surveyed businesses across the state on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Mills Administration’s 4-stage plan to gradually reopen Maine’s economy. A total of 1,467 businesses responded to the “Re-starting Maine’s Economy”survey, conducted online from May 1 to May 6, 2020. Five percent of the statewide responses were from businesses and organizations that are either in or do business in Knox County. More...
May 14, 2020
Mills Administration Allows Lodging Reservations For Future Stays; DECD Releases Some Stage 2 Checklists
The Mills Administration announced that, effective immediately, Maine lodging providers can begin accepting future reservations for stays with an arrival date of June 1st and beyond for Maine residents and for non-residents who comply with the State’s 14-day quarantine requirement. Further, the Department of Economic and Community Development today released additional COVID-19 Prevention Checklists for Stage 2 businesses tentatively slated to open in June under the Restarting Maine’s Economy Plan. More...
May 13, 2020
Governor Mills Extends State of Civil Emergency Through June 11
As the State continues to respond to COVID-19, Governor Janet Mills today signed a proclamation extending Maine’s state of civil emergency for thirty days through June 11, 2020. This will be Governor Mills’ second extension of the State of Civil Emergency. More...
May 8, 2020
Governor Mills Introduces Rural Reopening Plan - Midcoast Included
Governor Janet Mills today announced a rural reopening plan aimed at reopening certain additional businesses in rural Maine over the course of the next two weeks with added health and safety measures. The plan comes after Governor Mills stated last week that her Administration was considering opportunities for regional variation as part of its Restarting Maine’s Economy plan. More...
May 7, 2020
Mills Administration Secures Major COVID-19 Testing Expansion for Maine
Governor Janet Mills announced today that her Administration has secured a major expansion of COVID-19 testing for the State of Maine. The Administration has partnered with Maine-based IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. to purchase enough of the company’s recently authorized COVID-19 testing kits to more than triple the State’s testing capacity. The breakthrough will soon allow anyone in Maine suspected of having COVID-19 to receive a test. More...
May 6, 2020
Governor Mills Convenes Expert Committee to Advise on State’s Economic Recovery
Governor Janet Mills announced today that she is convening an Economic Recovery Committee charged with developing recommendations to mitigate the damage to Maine’s economy caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and to jumpstart a long-term economic recovery for Maine people, businesses, and organizations. More...
May 5, 2020
Maine Tourism Relief Fund - Applications Close Friday, May 8
The Maine Tourism Relief Fund, founded by Poland Spring and the Maine Tourism Association, was created to provide relief to small businesses and their employees experiencing great hardship as a result of business closures in the state due to COVID-19. More...
April 29, 2020
Governor Mills Extends Maine’s Stay At Home Order
Following her announcement yesterday that she would extend Maine’s stay-at-home order, Governor Janet Mills today issued a “Stay Safer at Home” Executive Order. The new order continues to have Maine people stay at home with the same established exceptions for permitted activities, such as occasional grocery shopping or exercising. However, it now also allows Maine people to visit businesses or participate in activities deemed safe to open under Stage 1 of the reopening plan (PDF) presented yesterday. More...
April 29, 2020
Department of Labor to Accept Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Applications May 1
The Maine Department of Labor will begin accepting applications for the new Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) at 8 a.m. Friday, May 1. People whose claim does not require further review should begin receiving benefits within seven days of filing. More...
April 28, 2020
Governor Mills Announces 4-Stage Plan To Restart Maine's Economy
Governor Janet Mills today presented her Administration’s plan to gradually and safely restart Maine’s economy. The plan, which comes as the State appears to be successfully flattening the curve, establishes four gradual stages of reopening, the first of which begins May 1st. The stages focus not on essential v. non-essential designations like those used to originally limit business operations and activities, but on the ability of a business to operate or an activity to occur in a manner that protects public health and safety. More...