Maine Governor Janet Mills has directed state agencies to review new guidance from the U.S. CDC on masking.
The U.S. CDC on Tuesday said Americans in places where cases of coronavirus are surging should wear a mask in public indoor settings even if they’re fully vaccinated, in an effort to tamp down on the spread of the highly contagious delta variant.
New cases are on the rise in Maine, but health officials say they hope that the high vaccination rate will prevent a more substantial increase.
The governor on Tuesday announced that she directed the Maine Department of Health and Human Services and Maine CDC to review the new guidance. She said she expected the review to be completed Wednesday, at which point any changes to the masking policy will be announced.
“I expect that review to be completed tomorrow, at which point we will announce what changes, if any, will be made to our current public health recommendations here in Maine,” Mills said in a statement on Tuesday. “In the meantime, we continue to strongly urge all Maine people to roll up their sleeves and get vaccinated. It is the best and most effective way to protect your health and that of your family, friends, and communities.”
Maine dropped it’s mask mandate back in May.
Maine CDC director Dr. Nirav Shah on Tuesday once again urged Mainers to get vaccinated, and to consider masking up in indoor public settings in areas of the state with higher virus transmission, like York and Piscataquis counties, even if you are vaccinated.
1/You might have questions about today's @CDCgov guidance and what the rise of the #Delta variant means for #Maine, for masking, for school, and for how we slow the spread of #COVID19. https://t.co/hcrQfijhVM
— Nirav D. Shah (@nirav_uscdc) July 27, 2021