Maine Gov. Janet Mills provided some more details Thursday on her plans to reopen the state’s economy, laying out what she called the “four principles” that will come into play.
Mills said the return to normalcy as the coronavirus outbreak wanes would depend on protecting public health, maintaining health care readiness, ramping up testing and public-private collaboration.
“While we all dream of going back to the way things were, we have to face the hard truth that the coronavirus continues to be a threat and that life will not return to normal soon,” Mills said. Instead, we have to invent a new normal – a different way of doing business, shopping, traveling, and recreating that keeps all of us safe.”
The governor didn’t offer any specific timetables or goals for when residents of the state can begin to see things opening up. Currently, nonessential workers in Maine are under the restrictions of Mills’ “stay at home” order through April 30.
Maine so far has recorded 947 diagnosed cases of coronavirus infection and 44 deaths from COVID-19.
“In the coming weeks, my administration will continue to assess the impact of the coronavirus in Maine and engage with various sectors of the Maine economy to determine how they can safely reopen at the right time in the right way,” she said. “This will be a gradual process to protect the health of Maine people while restarting our economy.”
Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Heather Johnson joined Mills at the news briefing and said the planning process would include state business leaders.
“Since the Stay Healthy at Home Order was issued, the Department has worked in close partnership and collaboration with the public and private sector to provide the most transparent process possible,” Johnson said. “These have been challenging times for Maine’s economy and as we work to reopen the state it will take thoughtful collaboration to ensure that we effectively prioritize public health while reopening businesses sectors.”
The department has also established an online form through which anyone can submit ideas and concepts on the state’s reopening process.
Maine has agreed to coordinate regional plans with New Hampshire and Vermont, but Mills warned that it was important not to reopen too fast, too soon.
“We all want life to return to normal as soon as it is safe to do so. Our hearts break to see closed storefronts and people struggling to make ends meet because of this crisis,” Mills said. “At the same time, we all know that reopening too soon and too aggressively is likely to cause a surge in COVID 19 cases, jeopardizing the lives of Maine people, overwhelming our health care system and further destabilizing the economy. None of us wants that.”
