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COVID-19: Communities, Workplaces, and Schools
Communities, workplaces, and schools all play a role in helping to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Update for Employers: If you have an employee who tested positive or is a close contact, please work with them directly to determine when it is safe for them to return to work. Maine CDC is no longer providing release from isolation and release from quarantine letters. Maine CDC does not recommend that employers require a negative test to return to work for individuals who tested positive.
On this page:
- Community Mitigation
- Businesses and Workplaces
- Schools and Child Care
- Additional U.S. CDC Guidance
- Posters
- Guidance and Other Resources
Recommendations for COVID Positive Cases
Maine CDC created informational packets with recommendations for certain groups:
Community Mitigation
Community mitigation activities are actions that people and communities can take to slow the spread of infectious diseases, including COVID-19. Mitigation strategies include:
- Personal protective measures (handwashing, wearing face coverings, etc) that individuals can use while in community settings
- Social distancing (maintaining physical distancing of 6 feet or more from others)
- Environmental surface cleaning at home and in community settings like schools and businesses
Please see U.S. CDC's full Community Mitigation Framework (PDF).
Businesses and Workplaces
Worker safety and support is critical to responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. U.S. CDC has many resources available including health and safety steps for specific occupations.
Maine's Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) has industry specific COVID-19 prevention checklists for safely operating businesses. A general checklist (PDF) is available for all businesses to follow and can be used if your business/organization does not have a specific checklist. For questions about checklists or what you need to do to open your business, please contact Maine DECD by calling 1-800-872-3838 or by emailing business.answers@maine.gov.
U.S. CDC also has guidance available for cleaning and disinfecting facilities as well as guidance for reopening buidings after shutdown.
As businesses work on updating and revising their safety plans and contingency plans for if a case is identified in their workplace, a number of questions may come up that businesses need help answering. First, check to see if U.S. CDC has addressed the question in their frequently asked questions website for businesses. If that question is not addressed, you can contact Maine CDC at 1-800-821-5821 or by email at disease.reporting@maine.gov (this email is not secure and patient information should not be sent).
Schools and Child Care
Please see Maine's Department of Education (Maine DOE) webpage for COVID-19 for the most recent updates and resources for schools.
U.S. CDC also has Interim Guidance for Administrators of K-12 Schools and Child Care Programs available. This guidance should be used in collaboration with Guidance from Maine DOE.
If you are looking for child care, please visit the Child Care Choices website. Please visit Maine's Child Care Subsidy Program website for information on the Child Care Subsidy Program and information on applying.
Additional U.S. CDC Guidance
- Guidance for Communities of Faith
- Guidance for Parks and Recreational Facilities
- Guidance for Colleges and Universities
Posters
Help Protect Yourself and Others from COVID-19 (PDF)
Symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19) (PDF)
Customer and Visitor Screening Poster (PDF)
Please Wear a Cloth Face Covering (PDF)
Multilingual Wash Your Hands Poster (PDF)
Wash Your Hands Poster (PDF)
Breakroom Sign (Color) (PDF)
Wash Hands Reminder (Color) (PDF)
Maximum Occupancy Sign (PDF)
School Prevention Poster (PDF)
Work Prevention Poster (PDF)
Face Covering Required Sign (Red) (PDF)
Face Covering Required Sign (Blue) (PDF)
Face Covering Required Sign (Black/White) (PDF)
Guidance and Other Resources
Pre-screening Tool for School Attendance - Maine Department of Education (PDF)
Child Feels/Appears Unwell Flowchart - Maine Department of Education (PDF)
What to do if your employee tests positive for COVID-19 (PDF)
Home Symptoms Screening Checklist (PDF)
Quarantine Guidance for Healthcare and Critical Infrastructure Workers with COVID-19 Exposure (PDF)-
Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Employee Rights (PDF)
Best Practices for Retail Food Stores, Restaurants, and Food Pick-Up/ Delivery Services During COVID-19 Pandemic (PDF)-
Mental Health Resources During COVID-19 (PDF) -
Ending COVID‐19 Isolation in Non‐Healthcare Settings (PDF) عربي | Français | Português | Soomaali | Español -
Ending Quarantine and Return to Work if You Are Exposed to a COVID‐19 Case (PDF) عربي | Français | Português | Soomaali | Español -
Button Templates (PDF)
Universal Testing Frequently Asked Questions for Businesses (PDF)
What to do if a child or staff member tests positive at a childcare facility (PDF)
Who can be in my childcare facility (PDF)