On the day Maine recorded 183 new cases of COVID-19, the highest single-day increase since the beginning of the pandemic, Governor Janet Mills announced an Executive Order requiring Maine people to wear face coverings in public settings, regardless of the ability to maintain physical distance. Additionally, owners and operators of all indoor public settings in Maine must now post plainly visible signs notifying entrants of the requirement to wear cloth face coverings, and may deny service or entry for non-compliance. Wearing a face covering is proven to significantly reduce the spread of COVID-19. Maine’s 7-day positivity rate, while still significantly lower than other states, has more than doubled in the past two weeks to 1.52 percent while hospitalizations have also increased.

“Maine is experiencing widespread community transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19,” said Dr. Nirav D. Shah, Director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. “Wearing face coverings and staying at least six feet away from others when out in public are ways that every person in Maine can limit potential spread of the virus to help make their communities and homes safer.”

Face coverings are required for all children age 5 and older in public settings, including school and childcare settings, and are recommended for children ages 2 to 4 unless deemed developmentally inappropriate. Exemptions continue to exist for those who have serious medical conditions or who are otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.