Governor Janet Mills today convened her Coronavirus Response Team charged with coordinating State government’s response across departments and local agencies and health authorities to the potential spread of novel coronavirus, also known as COVID 19 according to a press release issued today.
The response team, led by Maine CDC Director, Dr Nirav Shah, briefed Governor Mills and the Cabinet regarding issues to protect public health and safety and to prevent spread of the virus should it occur in Maine.
The response team will meet regularly to share information and coordinate coronavirus preparation and response across state government. Governor Mills also participated in a briefing today by Vice President Mike Pence, US Secretary of Health & Human Services Alex Azar and other federal officials for the nation’s governors about the federal government’s response to coronavirus according to the press release.
Maine has no confirmed cases of COVID-19. As Maine Center for Disease for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) previously reported, one individual in Maine who met federal requirements to be tested for the virus tested negative.
It has been reported this evening on the CNN cable news that 11 states have reported at least one case of the virus. In contrast to Trumpy’s declaration today that a vaccine will be available this summer, scientists corrected him by saying it will take 1 to l/2 years until a vaccine will be available.
“I applaud Governor Mills for proactively assembling a Coronavirus Response Team. Although Maine does not currently have any confirmed cases or coronavirus, it is critical that Maine has the resources and coordination in place to respond effectively. At the federal level, I am working with my House Appropriations Committee colleagues to advance a significant funding package that addresses our coronavirus epidemic at the federal and local levels without taking funds from essential existing programs, as President Trump has proposed,” wrote Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D) in a press release issued by her office this afternoon.
City spokeswoman Jessica Grondin did not respond to an email inquiry as to whether or not the city would issue a statement about the issue in Portland. Some sort of response that the city’s Health Department is involved in the assessment of available equipment and testing facilities or other information would have been helpful to readers of this blog. Transparency is a good thing unless you have something to hide. Why hasn’t the Mayor been out front on this issue? Is she a leader or just a figurehead for Portland?