Mills eases COVID-19 travel restrictions
(The Center Square) – With Maine’s tourism season approaching, Gov. Janet Mills is easing COVID-19 restrictions on travel that will allow people from several other New England states to visit without quarantining on arrival.
Mills signed an executive order on Friday that, effective immediately, visitors from Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island can travel to Maine without quarantining or providing a negative COVID-19 test. Under the previous rules, visitors who didn’t present a negative test needed to quarantine for 10 days.
Speaking at a briefing on Friday, Mills said increasing numbers of Mainers are being vaccinated against the virus and new COVID-19 cases have been trending downward following a post-holiday surge.
“It’s time to turn our attention again to the economy,” Mills said. “We are a welcoming state, and now we feel safe enough to open up our doors much more fully and enjoy the camaraderie we’ve enjoyed in the past with people from all over and allow our businesses to thrive.”
Under the new rules, people who have been fully vaccinated against the virus can visit the state without quarantining or presenting a negative COVID-19 test result.
They must still follow the state’s public health protocols like wearing face coverings and practicing social distancing, Mill said.
New Hampshire and Vermont residents were already exempt from the travel restrictions.
The order allows the Maine Center for Disease Control to set restrictions on visitors from other states that become “hot spots” with highly contagious COVID-19 variants.
Mills has also announced plans to gradually increase the state’s capacity limits for indoor and outdoor gatherings.
Beginning March 26, indoor gathering limits will rise to 50% capacity, and will go up 75% capacity on May 24 if public health metrics continue to improve.
Outdoor gathering limits will be increased to 75% on March 26 and 100% on May 24, according to Mills’ order.
The move was welcomed by Maine’s retail and hospitality industries, which are gearing up for the state’s summer tourist season.
“This will help return us to some sense of normalcy, encourage safe travel to Maine this spring and summer, and continue to balance public health with economic recovery,” Curtis Picard, president and CEO of the Retail Association of Maine, said in a statement.
Disclaimer: This content is distributed by The Center Square
