Maine Gov. Janet Mills released yesterday her plan for restarting the state's economy post-COVID-19.
Highlights:
- Stay-at-home order extended to 31 May, with some exceptions:
- Grocery shopping
- Exercising
- Visiting businesses or participating in activities permitted under plan's Stage 1 (below)
- Stage 1 (May)
- Gatherings of more than 10 people prohibited
- People entering or returning to Maine self-quarantine for 14 days
- Employees including State employees work from home
- Wear cloth face coverings in public when physical distancing is difficult to maintain (NEW)
- Limited expansion of certain activities:
- Health care by licensed providers
- Barber shops, hair salons, pet grooming
- Drive-in religious services
- Drive-in movies
- Guided hunting and fishing
- Golf and disc golf
- State parks, state-owned trails, historic sites (except for certain coastal state parks)
- Stage 2 (June)
- Gatherings of more than 50 people prohibited
- Some employees including State employees return to offices
- People entering or returning to Maine self-quarantine for 14 days
- Some degree of opening for:
- Restaurants
- Fitness and exercise centers
- Nail salons
- Lodging and campgrounds for Maine residents and those who have met the quarantine requirement
- Day camps for Maine children and those who have met the quarantine requirement
- Coastal state parks not previously opened
- Stage 3 (July and August)
- Gatherings of more than 50 people prohibited
- People entering or returning to Maine self-quarantine for 14 days
- No cruise or commercial passenger ship visits involving more than 50 people
- No ferry service between Maine ports
- Some degree of opening for:
- Lodging for Maine residents and visitors
- Outdoor recreation e.g., charter boats, boat excursions
- Bars
- Spas, tattoo parlors, massage parlors, etc.
- Stage 4 (Timeline TBD)
- All businesses and activities resume with appropriate safety precautions
With Maine closed to out-of-staters through July and August, will staycationing by Mainers keep the state's tourism destinations and businesses afloat - even if other states and countries have opened up? I'm afraid we can't count on it.