Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic

7 mins read

Since Maine’s first case of COVID-19 was announced on March 12, individuals across our state have sprung into action. People in our communities have quickly adapted to protect public health, from temporarily closing schools and businesses to moving to remote work, practicing social distancing and more. We are grateful and proud for the consideration and support we are providing each other, and wanted to provide some additional insight and resources.

In the Legislature, while our second session generally runs through mid-April, the Presiding Officers made the decision to end our session on March 17. This was done in an effort to adhere to social distancing guidelines and to keep staff, constituents and our communities safe.

Before adjourning, we passed emergency legislation to help Mainers through this COVID-19 crisis. Among other things, we included provisions to temporarily expand unemployment insurance benefits; empower the state Department of Education to waive certain school-day requirements and ensure students continue to receive needed meals while schools are closed; allow remote participation in municipal meetings; establish a consumer loan guarantee program to help eligible Mainers access low- or no-interest loans; and authorize the Governor to prohibit utilities from terminating residential electric and water service during this period. We additionally designated at least $11 million in state funding to further respond to COVID-19.

Additionally, Gov. Mills has taken a number of actions to slow the spread of the virus. Most notably, she proclaimed a state of civil emergency that brings Maine to highest alert and allows her to deploy all available state resources to protect the health and safety of Maine people. It also gives Maine more access to critical federal aid to boost response efforts.

At this time, Gov. Mills has mandated that all non-essential businesses and operations in Maine close their physical locations that are public facing, meaning those that allow customer, vendor or other in-person contact. Dine-in facilities have moved to offering curbside takeout or delivery, schools have shifted to remote learning and gatherings of more than 10 people are prohibited. While these are certainly big changes for our daily life, they are critical to keeping us healthy.

Because our community is so driven by our small business economy, we want to stress a few resources available to our local businesses and the folks they employ. The US Small Business Administration is offering Maine more access to Economic Impact Disaster Loans. Businesses can check eligibility and apply online. As part of our efforts to make unemployment insurance benefits more accessible, employers can use a Maine Department of Labor program called Workshare to make sure their employees get partial unemployment benefits if their hours are reduced. Plus, we’ve made more consumer loans available at low or no interest with the help of Maine lenders.

Beyond these resources, we have been astounded at the creativity many of our small businesses have shown by shifting to delivering their goods or providing services digitally to avoid closing. We’ve also been touched by community members buying gift cards to local shops and finding other ways to support our business community. We are all in this together, and we’re both so grateful for the kindness we’re seeing.

As we spend more time socially distancing, we want to remind people that social distancing does not mean social isolation, and it does not mean staying inside. We are so lucky to live in a state with so many incredible things to do outdoors. We encourage you to be outside, while still staying six feet apart from those around you. Visit one of Maine’s many trails, take a walk on the beach or go fishing! Until April 30, the state has waived the need to have a recreational fishing license to fish in the inland waters of Maine. Expired registrations for boats, all-terrain vehicles and cars have also been extended until 30 days after this public health crisis ends. We hope these steps will help you get around and get outside.

If you believe you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, please contact a medical provider, and do not be concerned about costs. Gov. Mills declared an insurance emergency that ensures all private health insurance plans will cover the cost of testing for COVID-19, and MaineCare is doing the same. Additionally, for anyone uninsured, many local clinics are offering tests at low or no cost. It is important that you call ahead so your provider’s office can prepare for your visit and take steps to keep other people from getting sick.

Finally, if you have questions or concerns about COVID-19, the Maine CDC has set up a hotline that is available by calling 211 or 866-811-5695. It can also be reached by texting your zip code to 207-898-211 or emailing info@211maine.org. And of course, please use us as a resource. While the Legislature has adjourned, both we and our staff are still here to serve. Please don’t hesitate to reach out at scott.landry@legislature.maine.gov or tina.riley@legislature.maine.gov if there is anything we can do to help.

It remains an honor for us both to serve you in the Legislature and to help us all weather this pandemic safely.

Rep. Scott Landry, D-Farmington, is serving his first term in the Maine House and represents Farmington and New Sharon. Rep. Tina Riley, D-Jay, is serving her second term in the Maine House and represents Jay, Livermore Falls and part of Livermore.

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19 Comments

  1. Am I the only one or does the response to this pandemic seem overblown to anyone else? The economy is in free fall. I am not reassured by the fact that people will have to go into debt over this. Somehow the “cure” seems to be worse than the ailment to begin with. This whole crisis is heading towards an even worse one.

  2. The economic trauma the nation will now face is going to hurt far more people than this virus ever could This’ll make the Depression look like a little training period for your great grandparents. Not much of a choice but to do the measures, but they quickly need to get us back to work, showing the vulnerable how to protect themselves. 20% to 30% unemployment is not sustainable, and the NEWLY added debt…wow, we could actually collapse.

    You quarantine SICK people, not the WELL. Anyway, this is a nice taste of exactly what socialism is like…a gov’t that tells you what you can buy, when…not much available…told when you can be out, or in – Over Regulation. Hope everyone likes it, if you want some more, keep on voting Democrat; Mills & the group from Portland will certainly be happy to give you tons more.

  3. Yo Arin Q, why don’t you, in all your self centered smugness, take a vacation down to Manhattan and breathe the nice fresh air? Just don’t come back here and infect all of us who have a bit more of a grasp on this horrible plague and what it means to the rest of us and the ones we love. We understand that we could lose our children, parents, grandparents, friends and thousands of our fellow citizens because we have an incompetent fool for a president. It’s all a hoax, right Arin?

  4. Hi Arin, I see how this response may feel “overblown” when there are so few folks around us who are sick right now.

    But here is the problem. Covid-19 is very infectious, but you can be infected for several days before you get sick, and for most who get it it isn’t that big a deal. But for a significant percentage of us it can be a very big deal that requires several weeks of intensive care treatment to survive, and those numbers can easily swamp our hospitals and take out many of our doctors and nurses.

    When a surge of infections happens you get scenes like Italy and New York with people unable to get medical care and more doctors and nurses becoming unable to help.

    Just as we pay for police to keep crime waves from happening, we need public health policies like those Scott and Tina are describing to keep the Covid thing from becoming a big wave that the medical system can’t handle. We don’t have many proven cases yet in Franklin County and the disease has been surging only in the counties with Portland, Augusta and Bangor and the southern coast near Portsmouth. But it travels with people who don’t know they have it, and if we just wait until we see the problem locally, it will be too late to avoid an epidemic wave that will do a lot more damage.

    If we can get behind these policies, it can be a much more manageable problem for the state as a whole, and not just for us. These policies are based on careful investigation by medical doctors and researchers around the world of how Covid-19 works, so before you decide this is really a nothingburger, please read up about it in web sites like the one for the Maine Center for Disease Control to see where these decisions are coming from.

  5. OverRegulated quite sensibly says “You quarantine SICK people, not the WELL” — but being asymptomatic does not mean you’re well. One can have and spread this virus without even having symptoms.

  6. Greg your showing your ignorance in your completely inaccurate comment. First this is NOT a PLAGUE. Second maybe Cuomo should start running his state and stop crying about the fed gov not doing everything. Ha has supplies in “stockpile” yet complains the fed gov isn’t sending enough? Do you or Cuomo remember this class in school called social studies ? Well it taught me that government starts at the local level. That means for the ignorant that we are the start of our government not D.C. The state’s governor is in charge of all precautions being taken the federal level is only there to support each state in requests. Trump started taking precautions on Jan 7th when he was called xenophobic and racist by Chuck Schumer for stopping air travel from China. It doesn’t matter what he does it will never be right according to people like you and the democrat party in D.C. just because the “person” you wanted didn’t win and now can’t accept the results of an election. I could put “her” quote on here but I will let you find that while educating yourself on what is actually happening around us and not believing the msm news outlets.

  7. OverRegulated, what rock have you been living under? How can you tell who is “WELL”? A person that appears perfectly healthy can be carrying the virus and can passing it to others. That is what is called “community spread”. This has been discussed by the medical professionals for over a month now. How do you (and the governor of Georgia) not know this by now? Stop listening to only the news sources that tell you what you want to hear! If you are feeling great today, guess what? You could be a carrier who is passing the virus to your friends and family. Wake up people – and educate yourselves!

  8. Arin Q – you’re right! This whole thing is overblown! Don’t worry that our healthcare system is being overwhelmed or that more than 200,000 Americans may die. Just go ahead and base your opinions on what is happening in your own tiny section of the world. Don’t worry that your fellow countrymen from coast to coast are sick and dying. Let’s go ahead and open the restaurants in Farmington! Let’s go to the bars and have a beer together! Let’s protect our economy! Have you given any thought to the health impact on a small town such as ours if the virus spreads among us? We have a tiny little hospital with six ICU beds. If we have community virus spread here, the only economic boost will be to the mortuaries.

  9. Trump, rightly so, is also laying down some tough regulations. Sometimes even a Republican has to over regulate just to protect idiots from themselves.

  10. Awwwww and others, it seems to me that some of the people pointing out the potential death toll (100k-240k) might to rethink ‘going out on town’ and stay home to avoid being just another ‘typhoid Annie’ and corona victim.

    And the reality of this – trump was SLOW to react. There are timelines with actual video footage where he was calling this a democratic hoax and downplaying the virus that would magically fade away when the weather warmed up. Why can’t people simply face reality: he’s incompetent and has put many more people in danger than needed to be. This virus is not some joke or socialist scheme. It’s REAL and it’s DANGEROUS. It simply alarms me to think that people ‘out there’ still cannot get by personal and party rhetoric and view corona from a scientific perspective. The cavalier attitude shown by many has ensured that corona stays around longer than is necessary and will kill many more people than it should. The fact that we have some dopey know-it-all in the WH who has screwed up a response to a threat that is monumental and for which we had ample warning to prepare. As for our economy – yes, we are screwed but I might submit giving trillions to corporations is a bit skewed. We know from Belotti and Citizen’s United that corporations are people. Why do they get more than $1200 each??

    Go ahead and get a beer or coffee with friends. I will stay in my small world and let corona pass me by.

  11. Ozerki maybe you didn’t like the facts put forth in my comment, well too bad it doesn’t make them any less true ! Would you like to address why Trump was called a xenophobe or racist for shutting down air travel in January ? Or maybe you were to wrapped up in your TDS watching the impeachment clown show.
    The only travel I’m doing right now is essential when it storms and the roads need to be plowed. So I won’t be a typhoid Annie as you claimed me and others of being. You should have facts before running your mouth.
    Your “timeline” of news is laughable because like I said before if you believe anything from msm you are not helping anyone by lapping up news bites that have been proven to be taken out of context but you feel free to stay ignorant. Look what Maddow said on CNN after Trump said a naval ship was headed to New York she went on a retarded rant claiming it was all lies and the ships wouldn’t be there for weeks and the ship showed up that same day. But nothing from you on that or his other early taken precautions.
    Like I said nothing he does will ever be good enough for a bunch of leftist liberal fools that think the big government will save us. You folks should get together and go back to school when they reopen we have a great adult ed program in RSU9.

  12. YIKES! No amount of downplaying the severity of this pandemic will make it go away. There’s no cavalry coming with a vaccine (a physician said that on TV).

    Just for once, couldn’t everybody err on the side of caution and stay at home, learn what the dangers are and take the steps to prevent exposure to the disease? Rich or poor, old or young, it can kill you or someone you care about.

  13. Awwwww – I find it curious that I now have many examples of someone discounting or ignoring FACTS because they happen to come from a source that is unpalatable to a particular group or individual. A fact is a fact.

  14. Ozerki what facts have you given besides your out of context news clips about hoaxes ? You have completely ignored the facts I’ve given but you stay ignorant friend you do you. Stay healthy folks that includes your mind not just washing hands.

  15. Awwww, perhaps you need to review facts. Yes, trump stopped flights from China on Jan 7th. CDC issued a warning on January 8th. Trump stated that corona virus was a problem on March 13th. Trump held rallies Jan 9, 14, 28, 30, Feb. 10, 19, 20, 21, 28.

    As for states’ rights and CIVICS …. states carry the burden UNLESS they are violating federal laws or policies. When we have a PANDEMIC this is considered a national emergency and it becomes part of FEMA’s responsibility. Cuomo is well within his jurisdiction as a governor to request the gov’t provide the ventilators if he sees that he will be short and this is an emergency situation (which he did). Trump’s response was that he didn’t think he needed more than 2 or 3 and that is what most hospitals already had. trump made it clear from many remarks that he had no real understanding of the potential problems associated with corona. Even his own specialist (Fauci) had to correct him many times during a press briefing.

    To recap – from the Jan 8th CDC announcement about corona over TWO months passed before trump did ANYTHING. I am not a Schumer fan nor to i consider HRC more than a pos. trump lost the popular vote by nearly 3 million and won the electoral college vote. So what???? Who gives a crap. The issue here is that there is clear evidence that trump muffed this and his lack of recognition that corona was a BIG threat will cause many more deaths than should have happened. We could be two months ahead of where we are now.

    As for Cuomo – he dropped the ball by not having some provisions for New Yorkers NOT being allowed to leave the state. Sure, I want people from the US epicenter of corona leaving to come to Maine. Talk about blowing up the bridge. Cuomo has done a VERY good job with the hand he was dealt otherwise. I appreciate Mills’ attempt to keep us informed. The problem that we still face is the fact that (1) we still do NOT have enough test kits – even though trump said we did; and (2) trump and his ‘team’ did NOT even use the pandemic ‘play book’ left by his predecessor, he just did what he usually does and winged it. O, forgot about pence trying to pray away this problem. Good job Mike. You can go on all you want about States’ rights and police powers, but the FACTS still point to trump dropping the ball right on his foot and WE pay for that. As an aside, his rich little jerk son-in-law in charge of the pandemic response ……. we are screwed.

  16. People need to stop. In every downfall. Things start from the bottom and work up. Social distancing is smart. Economy will bounce back. We will morn our dead. As a young child. We practiced bomb raids at school. I’m not old. I’m not young. But I’ve seen and been through a lot. I want to live. Not be dumb and die. Sorry you think your rights have been stripped. But your only spreading fear. Stay smart stay safe!

  17. Ozerki it’s obvious that you are upset and went on a mostly incomprehensible rant. Who cares if the VP prays ? Things are still being done besides just prayer and he isn’t the only one praying in these times of drama and hysteria spread by people like you and the msm.
    As for your claims that the current administration dropped the ball by not following the previous admins protocol. I say good job!! If they followed the previous admins there would be approximately 10k dead and six months would have passed not just a couple three weeks like with this admin.
    If Cuomo needs more ventilators he should take them out of stockpile and see how many are actually needed because other states need them too. Now that ventilators are being manufactured he can get some later on when the 20k plus he is hoarding are actually being used.
    States can not stop people from traveling only suggest they don’t. We do not live in a communist country. We are a free people which many sheep don’t understand because you can see them daily hoping (praying) the government will fix everything for them and paying for everything for them.
    This will be my last comment on here probably all together on the bulldog I am so tired of trying to get stupid people to see the other side and listening to the bs drama being stirred up over this whole thing. Did anyone see the numbers from Friday to Sunday on crona cases ?
    Friday 9 dead 75 hospitalized 115 RECOVERED 432 cases
    Sunday 10 dead 140 recovered 452 presumptive or confirmed cases.
    Go to wabi tv5 to confirm or stay ignorant
    Hospitals are actually sending nurses and drs home because no one is coming to ers.

  18. Awwwww,
    January 30: Trump on Coronavirus, “We have it very well under control, and I think it’s going to have a very good ending. So that I can assure you!”

    February 2: Trump on Coronavirus, “Well, we pretty much shut it down coming in from China, but we did shut it down!”

    February 10: On Fox News Trump says without evidence that the coronavirus “dies with the hotter weather… You know, a lot of people think that goes away in April with the heat.”

    February 24: “The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA.”

    February 25: Trump falsely claims “You may ask about the coronavirus, which is very well under control in our country. We have very few people with it, and the people that have it are … getting better. They’re ALL getting better!”

    February 26: Trump wrongly says the coronavirus “is a flu” and that “whatever happens, we’re totally prepared.”

    February 26: Trump baselessly predicts the number of US cases is “going very substantially down” to “close to zero”

    February 26: Trump wrongly says the flu death rate is “much higher” than Dr. Sanjay Gupta said. Coronavirus has 10X death rate compared to flu. If 60K die from flu then 600K will die from Coronavirus!

    February 27: Trump baselessly said, “It’s going to disappear. One day — it’s like a miracle — it will disappear.”

    February 28: Trump said at a rally, Coronavirus is “the new Democratic Hoax.”

    March 2: Trump falsely claims “nobody knew of the number of US flu deaths”.

    March 2: Trump says a vaccine is coming “relatively soon”. Only Trump did not bother to mention that CDC had told him earlier that day that a vaccine was a year to a year and a half away.

    March 4: Trump said he believes people infected with the novel coronavirus may get better “by sitting around and even going to work.”

    March 5: Trump wrongly claims the virus only hit the US “three weeks ago”. Trump was informed of a confirmed case on January 21(6 weeks prior).

    March 5: World Health Organization (WHO), based on data collected around the world, stated the global mortality rate for coronavirus at 3.4%. Trump says: “I think the 3.4 % is really a false number, this is just my ‘Hunch’!”

    March 6: As the number of cases and deaths in Italy rises, Trump says “I hear the numbers getting much better in Italy.”

    March 6: Trump tells cameras, “Anybody who wants a test can get one.” VP Pence said the day prior that Americans could not get tested simply because they wanted to get tested. “You may not get a test unless a doctor or public health official prescribes a test.”

    March 6: Trump muses that “maybe the coronavirus improved US jobs numbers.”

    March 6: “I like the numbers being where they are. I don’t need to have the numbers double because of one ship,” Trump said of passengers on the Grand Princess cruise ship.

    March 7: Trump said that doctors he’s come across as the administration tries to get a handle on the outbreak have been surprised about how much he knows about COVID-19. “Maybe I have a natural ability,” he said. “Maybe I should have done that instead of running for president.”

    March 11: Trump’s Address from Oval Office wrongly states Insurance companies will pay for patients Coronavirus treatment. Next day Insurance Coalition corrected Trump and said they will pay ONLY for Co-payments, NOT treatment.

    March 13: Trump declares National Emergency. “As you know Europe was just designated as the hot spot right now, and we closed that border a while ago so that was lucky or through talent or through luck… call it whatever you want.” The travel ban had not even been implemented, scheduled to start that night.

    March 13: Asked why his Admin previously disbanded the national pandemic office which would have significantly prepared the United States, “When you say me, I didn’t do it. We have a group of people… You say we did that, but I don’t know anything about it.” This, after Trump’s presser from Feb. 26 where it was previously brought up and discussed with Trump.

    March 13: Backpedaling about whether or not he should get tested and self-isolate for Coronavirus after being in direct contact with those carrying the virus, “I asked them that same question, and they said, ‘You don’t have any symptoms whatsoever.’” You don’t have to be showing symptoms to already have the Coronavirus.

    March 13: Trump interacted with several top administration officials and business leaders during the address, shaking hands and patting them.

    March 13: Asked by a reporter about the federal failures to test for Coronavirus, Trump answered, “No I don’t take responsibility for that at all.” This, after he exclaimed on March 6 that tests were ready and everyone who wanted a test would be able to get a test.

  19. Former CIA director
    William Casey famously said, ” We’ll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false.”
    It is easier to fool people than convince them they have been fooled. That is why they call the mafia media “telly-vision. Don’t let their insecurity get inside you.

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