A Young Man Wearing a Protective Mask at the Hannaford Brothers in South Portland Today. The Store Allowed Fifty People at a Time Inside to Shop. The Outside Line Moved Quickly. There Was Another Check-out Line Inside which also Moved Quickly. The Grocery/Pharmacy Store is Complying with Governor Mills Stay Healthy at Home Order Effective April 2, 2020.
This Couple Decided to Wear Face Masks Before the CDC Recommended Today the Voluntary Use of Them. Trumpy Decided not to Volunteer to Wear a Mask Because it would not Look Presidential. It Would Have Given us a Break From His Offensive Mouth – no Such Luck, Though.
Governor Janet T. Mills today issued an Executive Order mandating that travelers arriving in Maine, regardless of their state of residency, self-quarantine for 14 days to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The Order, which directs the Maine Department of Transportation, the Maine Turnpike Authority and others to post this guidance at all major points of entry into the State, exempts individuals who are providing essential services as defined by Governor Mills on March 24th.
“To slow the speed of the deadly virus and prevent our health care system from being overwhelmed, we must all do our part,” said Governor Mills in a press release issued today. “I am mandating that anyone entering Maine, self-quarantine 14 days and abide by Maine’s Stay Healthy at Home Order. These actions will protect the health and safety of everyone.”
Additionally, the Order instructs visitors not to travel to Maine if they are displaying symptoms of COVID-19 and advises them not to travel to Maine if they are traveling from cities in regions identified as COVID-19 hot spots.
To deter travel, the Order also suspends lodging operations, including hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, inns, and short-term rentals such as those available through VRBO Airbnb, RV parks and campgrounds and all public and private camping facilities as well as online reservations effective Sunday, April 5, 2020 at 12:00 pm.
However, the Order states that lodging can be provided for housing vulnerable populations – such as for children in emergency placements, persons at risk of domestic violence and homeless individuals as permitted by the State and for accomodations for health care workers or other workers deemed necessary to support public health, public safety or critical infrastructure.
While Governor Mills hopes compliance with this Order will be voluntary, it may be enforced by law enforcement as necessary. Individual violations of this Order may be charged as a Class E crime subject to a penalty of up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
The Order goes into effect immediately and remains in effect until at least April 30th.