This is the first weekend of our state’s reopening.

This is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.

Now many people will be able to get health care for the first time in weeks, such important procedures that have been long postponed, a critical change.

Now Maine people can also worship with members of their faith under new guidelines.

These are meaningful first steps towards creating a new normal – a different way of doing business, of shopping, traveling, of worshipping and enjoying the Maine outdoors in ways that will keep us all safe, if we all pull together and follow the rules that are based on fact and science.

We will keep working to answer questions about the plan, and to address especially the needs of small businesses striving to survive in this new pandemic-driven economy.

Our plan is a flexible one and we are always open to constructive dialogue from workers and businesses and members of the public.

Meanwhile, some people say they are frustrated that the State is moving too slowly; they worry about the toll on the summer tourist season.

Others say they want to go back to work but are afraid of having contact with the public, including the people who come here every summer, from Boston, New York, New Jersey and other dangerous hot spots.

Some are engaging in partisan political chatter over this pandemic; but we know this virus plays no favorites: it doesn’t care whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat, a Green or an Independent. It does not take political sides; it is an equal opportunity destroyer.

Others still are frustrated that we are opening up any businesses at all, because so many people in our state are older or have an underlying condition that puts them greatly at risk.

They know that more than 3,500 people have died in Massachusetts from this painful virus; more than 18,000 New Yorkers; more than 7,000 New Jersey people; more than 2,200 in Connecticut.

In one day this week, one day alone, 252 people died in Massachusetts – a state that is only fifteen miles from our border.

And in just the last 24 hours, the State of Georgia reported more than one thousand new cases.

That’s why, with every order I have issued and every action I have taken, I have thought long and hard about how Maine people – and Maine businesses -- may be impacted.

The challenges this pandemic poses to us and to our state are unlike anything we have seen in a hundred years.

We can’t simply flip a switch and open up all the restaurants, and bars, and businesses and do business as usual and risk a more aggressive resurgence of this deadly virus that will devastate our entire economy for years to come.

So, let’s continue talking, continue listening, continue being part of the solution.

We continue to collaborate with people from all economic sectors across the state to prepare them to open as soon as they can and as safely as they can. And every day, we are working on that testing capacity issue that is so critical to opening our economy.

This virus sometimes tests the limits of our patience and the limits of our economic stability. Let us show the world who we are. Let us show them that, no matter what the challenge, no matter the difficulty, we will persevere. 

Let’s keep talking.

The last thing any of us want to do is to overwhelm our health care system and put the lives of our brave health care workers and first responders in jeopardy.

But it is because of your actions – and solely because of your actions – that the virus has not destroyed us, that we have kept a measured lid on this insidious disease.

Let’s work harder than ever in these next few months to keep this thing at bay and keep our people – and our economy – safe.

We can do this. I believe in you, in the faith, ingenuity and willpower of the people of Maine. 

Maine people are not quitters.

People may angry and frustrated, some losing patience. But no matter what, we will listen to each other. We will work with each other. We will do everything in our power to keep each other safe. We will never give up on each other, never quit each other.

And I will never quit you.

This is Governor Janet Mills. Thank you for listening.

This week I shared some great news – we have secured a new partnership with IDEXX in Westbrook to provide enough COVID-19 test supplies to more than triple our current testing capacity. 

With this additional capacity the Maine CDC will be able to better gauge the prevalence of the virus throughout the state and, in turn, it opens a new set of possibilities as we examine how to safely restart Maine’s economy. 

That is why this week, I also announced a rural reopening plan aimed at reopening certain additional businesses in more rural parts of our state in the next couple of weeks. 

Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.

I am referring to counties where community spread is not present and where there are significantly fewer cases — Aroostook, Piscataquis, Washington, Hancock, Somerset, Franklin, Oxford, Kennebec, Waldo, Knox, Lincoln, and Sagadahoc counties. 

In these counties only, starting next Monday, May 11^th, retail stores may open for in-store customers with new health and safety precautions. 

Also in those same twelve counties, beginning Monday, May 18^th, restaurants may open for outdoor dining and for limited dine-in service, also with strict health and safety precautions 

In those same counties as well, beginning Monday, May 18^th, remote campsites and sporting camps are permitted to reopen with certain public health safeguards. 

We are also making small adjustments to the plan statewide as well. 

Fitness and exercise centers will now be allowed open on May 11^th for outdoor classes  of 10 people or less or for one-on-one personal training instruction inside a gym.  

All our health and safety guidelines, formed with consultations with the industries, are found on the Department of Economic and Community Development website at www.maine.gov/decd. 

With these changes, we letting these establishments reopen but not requiring them to. And if you are immuno-compromised, or if you care for someone who is, you should not feel compelled to go back to work or to patronize the businesses. And I urge employers to be flexible with their people when considering reopening.  

For now, retail stores and restaurants in York, Cumberland, Androscoggin, and Penobscot counties – where community transmission of the COVID-19 virus is established – they will not be permitted to reopen to in-store shopping or dine-in service until June 1, the tentative start date for Stage 2.    

These establishments can continue to provide telephone order, curbside pick-up, take-out, and home delivery though. 

Maine CDC will continue to monitor case trends and hospitalization rates, and health care capacity, to inform our decisions on the safety of lifting or reinstating restrictions. 

Ultimately, the success of this rural reopening plan depends on the ability of these businesses to conscientiously follow these health and safety precautions; and the ability of Maine people to strictly adhere to physical distancing, and wear face coverings to protect others, and to continue to practice good hygiene, including washing your hands often with soap and warm water. 

If you are an older Mainer, or someone with an underlying health condition, please continue to stay home as much as possible, regardless of where you live. 

My Administration will continue to work with businesses and various sectors of the economy, solicit feedback, consult with public health experts, and move forward in a thoughtful and deliberate way with public health always as our number one priority. 

I feel like we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. But that tunnel is surely a long one and there are still dark corners before we get to the end.  Let’s take it one step at a time and navigate this storm together.  

On this Mother’s Day weekend, I thank everyone who is listening who is a mother, or a stepmother, or grandmother, thank you for what you do for your families and for all of our communities across the state.

This is Governor Janet Mills. Thank you for listening.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and during our gradual reopening process, the Maine CDC has been monitoring epidemiological data, like case trends and hospitalization rates, health care readiness and capacity, all of these things to inform our decisions on lifting restrictions and revitalizing our economy.

We look at these metrics every day. We look at them in their totality and look at them in context, as opposed to looking at daily changes of a single metric itself to inform our decisions.

Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.

Last month, the number of COVID-19 cases and the number of hospitalizations rose, particularly in southern Maine.

In light of that, we postponed the reopening of restaurants for dine-in service in York, Cumberland, and Androscoggin counties.

Instead, these restaurants were able to continue pickup and delivery food service and outside dining service, but not indoor dining, and that was a change, while it was dramatic and hard, we believed it was safer for the health of Maine people but still helping restaurants do business in at least one way.

That was a difficult decision – something that frustrated many restaurant owners, understandably so.

We also moved ahead with restaurant reopenings for dine-in and outdoor dining in the rest of Maine’s counties as scheduled, including Penobscot County, and we became the first state in New England to allow indoor dining at all.

Since then, the average number of cases in these three counties -Androscoggin, Cumberland and York - has plateaued, and hospitalization rates have stabilized.

In light of those encouraging trends, this week I announced that indoor dining in Androscoggin, Cumberland, and York Counties may voluntarily resume, with the safety and health protocols outlined in the COVID-19 Prevention Checklist.

I also announced that bars, breweries, and tasting rooms may open in Cumberland, York and Androscoggin Counties for outdoor, seated service. Gyms, nail salons, and tattoo parlors can also reopen in those counties, all with health and safety protocols that must be strictly adhered to. Those businesses were already open in the rest of Maine’s 13 counties.

We also expanded capacity limits at retail establishments all across the state, allowing up to 5 people per 1,000 square feet, given the decreasing risk associated with retail shopping and the assumption that stores will follow strict public health precautions, such as keeping six foot distances in lines outside the stores. Stores being places where you move around, it doesn’t pose quite the same risk as indoor dining for instance.   

Well with all these changes, reopenings across the state are aligned in all counties. We have now reopened our economy either on a par or ahead of other northeastern states.

We look at Arizona, Texas and Florida however, and as they report their highest case numbers yet and 22 other states are seeing climbing COVID-19 cases, as we reopen restaurants for indoor dining and other businesses in these areas, we have to remain very careful. We don’t want to make the same mistakes those other states have made.

The experiences in those states are a cautionary tale for Maine.

It is possible, if not likely even, that the changes we made will result in an uptick in cases and we will be keeping a close eye on epidemiological data as we have from the very start.

We’ll look at the data in our state, and the data in our neighboring states, and states like New York and Connecticut where people come from to visit Maine in the summer.

If a review of the data concerning Maine finds evidence of an increase in COVID-19 or a risk to the capacity of our health care system, we will have to move forward to protect Maine people again.

But the most effective way to make sure that we don’t have to put on restrictions again is to practice good hygiene and take care of yourself.

So, I ask you as your Governor– please – if you own or work at a public-facing business, please strictly adhere to all health and safety protocols. Don’t let down your guard. Protecting your customers protects your business as well.

I ask all Maine people, please remember to wash your hands frequently, please maintain six feet of distance between yourself and others no matter where you are, stay home when you can, especially if you are older or have an underlying health condition, and wear a cloth face covering when you are out in public.

Recent studies show that those face coverings work.

If we protect ourselves and protect one another by taking these steps, we can continue to reopen our economy in a safe way and limit the spread of this dangerous virus as we welcome tourist season in Maine.

It is all up to every one of us.

This is Governor Janet Mills. Thank you for listening and please stay safe.

As the daughter of a woman who taught in the public schools in Maine for nearly thirty-seven years, and as someone who brought up five daughters who attended and graduated from public schools in Maine, I am very sensitive to the needs of families and faculty and staff in our schools in this extraordinary time.

Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.

For the sake of Maine children, and our families and our futures, and for the livelihoods of Maine families, a safe return to classroom instruction must be our goal. Like many parents and teachers, I worry in particular about the kids who are being left behind and the inequities that have been exacerbated during this pandemic.

But the goal of returning to classroom instruction cannot come at the expense of peoples’ health and safety either, regardless of what the President says.

I believe strongly that decisions about returning to the classrooms must be based on public health data and not on politics. That is why my Administration is providing public health guidance and financial support to help local officials as they determine what is best for their communities, students, and staff.

The Maine Department of Education, along with Maine CDC, has updated our “Framework for Returning to Classroom Instruction” to include health and safety precautions that have been developed by public health experts.

These science-based protocols, which follow national best practices, include the use of face coverings and physical distancing, and they’ll be supported by up to $165 million in Federal CARES Act funding to be distributed to school systems across Maine.

I recognize that more is needed, but this is just a start-up amount – funding to help them get going for planning for the fall - and I am certainly hopeful that Congress will support additional funding to support the safe-operations of our schools.

This week I also announced we will provide schools with public health guidance in the form of a three-tiered health advisory system, helping them make decisions about when, whether and how to bring students back to the classroom. 

This new tiered system will take into account public health metrics on a county by county basis and it will translate them into three color-based categories: red, yellow, and green. This is what several other states have also done.

A red category says that a county has a high risk of COVID-19 spread and that remote learning, rather than in-person learning, is preferred.

A yellow category indicates that a county has an elevated risk of COVID-19 spread and that hybrid learning models should be adopted, so some at home and some in classroom.

A green category indicates that a county has a relatively low risk of COVID-19 spread so in-person learning can fully be adopted.

This public health status of each county will be updated biweekly starting July 31 and will be available publicly.

Support for child care is also important along with school support. That is why we have also targeted another $8.4 million in federal CARES Act funding — on top of $11 million we previously announced — to child care providers, making sure that parents can go to work, and make sure they know their kids are safe. That funding will support our youngest children and their working parents, and the dedicated providers and their staff.

We know that in order for our economy to fully recover, Maine parents need to be able to return to work when they feel comfortable and knowing that their children are safe.

The actions we took this week are a big step in that direction.

This is Governor Janet Mills. Thank you for listening and please stay safe.

Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening today.

First off I want to thank people all across the state. You all have turned to and taken the steps to protect the health and safety of all of us: by wearing face coverings; by keeping your distance; by adapting your businesses and safely serving customers and keeping staff and visitors safe; by encouraging friends and family to get tested or quarantine if come here from another state. All these actions have contributed to our low positivity rate and they’ve allowed our economy to reopen gradually, but safely so far and these actions will enable our schools to open safely in the coming weeks.

But we won’t stop. This deadly virus does not take time off and while we’re proud of our progress, we are not immune from the surges we’ve seen in other states.

We all want Maine people to be healthy. We want the economy to become strong and to expand.

It’s not easy –

The best thing we can do for economic health is to protect public health.

Many people in Maine are still experiencing significant financial hardship too as a result of COVID-19.

The last thing people need to worry about in the middle of a pandemic is losing their home.

So back in April, we established a rent relief program, with non-taxpayer dollars, to help keep people in their homes.

Under that program, each eligible household got up to $500 in rental assistance paid directly to their landlord, and in exchange, the landlord would agree not to bring eviction proceedings for that month. 

As of July 16^th, nearly 7,000 applications were approved and more than $3.3 million in direct relief was provided to Maine people.

I also signed an Executive Order back then that prevented the immediate eviction of tenants who were unable to pay their rent due to COVID-19 financial issues.

As the Maine Supreme Judicial Court is reopening the courts this coming week, and as the federal government appears poised to reduce unemployment benefits, I am now concerned that many Maine people may face a housing cliff.

So, I am dedicating $5 million in federal Covid Relief Funds to expand our rental assistance programs starting Monday, August 3^rd. MaineHousing then will double the rental assistance payment we have from $500 to $1,000 a month. 

Eligible households may receive up to $1,000 in rental assistance for up to three months and that assistance may also be used to pay arrearages. In accepting these payments, the landlord will agree not to evict the tenant for the month the payment was issued.

I have also signed a new Executive Order that expands the timeframes for notice to quit in eviction proceedings.

So when the Court system reopens, this Order will continue a certain measure of protection for “at will,” or month to month, renters. The Order requires a landlord to provide at least 45 days’ notice to a person with a tenancy “at will” or month to month, rather than 30 days under law. If the landlord is attempting to evict a residential tenant for nonpayment, the Order increases an eviction notice time from 7 days to 30 days.

This Order also maintains some strengthened penalties for landlords who might try to evict tenants by unlawful means, self-help you know, like turning off utilities - prohibited.

We hope this expanded rental relief program and continued protections in the Executive Order will help renters and landlords alike.

Finally, we’re also expanding education, prevention, and wraparound services that will reduce the disproportionate racial and ethnic COVID disparities in Maine. This funding will go directly to community-based organizations – those who have “boots on the ground” – who are protecting and assisting people now in their communities and encouraging testing and prevention measures.

More information about the COVID-19 Rental Relief Program, including frequently asked questions, are found at www.mainehousing.org/covidrent.

That’s http://www.mainehousing.org/covidrent

I urge anyone struggling to pay their rent to apply for these funds.

This is Governor Janet Mills and thank you so much for listening.

Stay safe.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, people have written hundreds of cards and letters and emails to me, all filled with hope and heartbreak in equal measure. 

Many come from small business owners and local nonprofits who have faced unprecedented challenges from this pandemic, from the heartbreak of temporarily closing to the herculean task of reopening to the public in a new and innovative way.

Hello this is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.

This pandemic has drastically changed the global business environment. It has disrupted supply chains, and reduced consumer spending and caused severe losses across all sectors. In Maine, the closure of the Canadian border, the stoppage of cruise ships, and the reluctance of people generally to travel have impacted our economy inevitably, from farms and fisheries to retail and recreation, service and hospitality sectors.

“We are stronger, we are smarter, and we do not cave in hard times,” one business owner wrote to me. “We are smarter than this virus and we are ready to do what we need in order to protect our family, and everyone else’s family."

I appreciate the great cooperation of Maine’s small businesses in protecting the people of Maine, often while often sacrificing substantial market share, and my Administration will do whatever we can to support them through these tough times.

Some small businesses and non-profits have not been able to access federal relief funds and have fallen through the cracks. Others have exhausted the funds they received and need something more to get through the coming months. 

This week we launched the “Maine Economic Recovery Grant Program” to support Maine businesses and nonprofits as they grapple with the economic hardship caused by COVID-19.  

This program is backed by $200 million of Federal Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF) and it will provide financial relief for entities that incurred business disruptions caused by the pandemic.

The business or organization must have its base in Maine, meaning it is headquartered here or has at least half its employees and contract employees based here, and it must employ less than a total of 50 employees and contract employees. And it must demonstrate a need for financial relief due to the virus.

Grants may be used to cover expenses like payroll; rent or mortgage; utility; expenses in replenishing inventory or other re-opening costs; purchase of personal protective equipment, that kind of thing.

Small businesses and nonprofit organizations can apply for grants now through September 9, 2020, and the awards will be made in early October based on need, not on a first-come, first served basis.

The small amount of money available for these grants compared to the need can never replace or repair the extraordinary damage this pandemic has caused.

More support is desperately needed, and I really hope that Congress and the Administration in Washington will step up to the plate soon and provide meaningful relief to the small farms, the fishermen, the Mom & Pop stores, the diners, the B ‘N B’s, the motels, stores and local family businesses across this state and across this nation – those that are the backbone of our economy and the lifeblood of our communities.

To learn more, please visit the Department of Economic and Community Development website at maine.gov/decd. Small businesses can begin applying now.

If we continue to protect ourselves and one another by keeping our distance, washing our hands and wearing face coverings, remember we can keep our small businesses open, we can reopen our schools and we can limit the spread of this dangerous virus.

We will get through this.

It is up to all of us.

This is Governor Janet Mills.

Thank you for listening.

Cold weather heralds more than just autumn in Maine and the turning of leaves and beautiful scenery across our state. As we approach the flu season and cold season during this unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, it’s going to be more important than ever to take steps that are backed by science to protect our health, the health of our families, our communities and our loved ones. 

Things like getting your annual flu shot. 

This is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening today.

The Maine CDC recommends that all people six months and older get a yearly flu vaccine before the end of October, when flu activity really increases.

While getting a flu shot helps reduce your risk of getting the flu and spreading it to others, this year it will also lessen the burden on Maine’s health care system during this pandemic, by reducing the number of people who are sick and seek medical care. It is also possible to have the flu and COVID-19 at the same time. Experts are studying this, but you know having the flu could reduce your body’s ability to respond to a COVID-19 infection if you are exposed.  

While we don’t know when a safe vaccine for COVID-19 may be widely available for Maine people and others, getting a flu vaccine today is one way to keep yourself, your loved ones and our state healthy this fall. 

It takes about two weeks after getting vaccinated for that flu shot to take full effect, but the flu is here now. So get a shot today. To find a flu clinic, search your zip code on flushot.healthmap.org or cdc.gov/flu or search the listings on 211maine.org.

Join me in getting a flu shot this fall. Stay healthy, stay safe.

This is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.

Small businesses across our state — the neighborhood corner store, the bed and breakfasts, the bookstore, the local hardware store — they have all faced unprecedented challenges during this pandemic, ranging from the heartbreak of temporarily closing their doors to the herculean task of reopening in new and very different ways.

Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.

To offer some small lifeline to try to keep afloat these small businesses that are at the core of our economy, we have created the Maine Economic Recovery Grant Program.

This program, backed by $200 million in Federal CARES Act money, provides some financial relief for businesses and non-profits that have incurred business disruptions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

2,329 awards are going out this week. They include 2,072 to small businesses and 257 to non-profits. We’re putting out a total of $105 million dollars to these small businesses this week and the grants average just over $45,000 apiece going out to recipients all across the state. For obvious reasons, the hospitality sector, particularly lodging and accommodations, represent the largest percentage of recipients, drawing down 35 percent of these awards.

These grants all went to businesses with 50 or fewer employees.

So with this first round of awards going out as we speak, now Phase 2 of the Economic Recovery Grant Program can begin.

In Phase 2, businesses and non-profits that employ up to 250 people will be eligible for grants. Licensed childcare and behavioral health organizations will also be eligible, along with businesses that are less than one year old. The application portal for Phase Two of the Economic Recovery Grant Program is open now until October 29th.

Organizations interested in applying for this program can go to the Department of Economic and Community Development’s website at maine.gov/decd/economic-recovery-grants. The website also includes information and answers to frequently asked questions. 

Small businesses across Maine – like the corner store, the bookstore, the bed and breakfast and the hardware store – they’ve all faced these unprecedented challenges. Many have risen to the task, but with the global economy still reeling from this virus, and the virus still spreading in states on our doorstep, and with people still wary of how and where to eat and shop, it is crucial that we provide whatever help we can to get businesses through this period.

My Administration will do all we can to support Maine’s small businesses through these terribly difficult times.

We know grants cannot wholly replace or repair the economic damage the pandemic has caused, but our mission is to ensure that every dollar has at least a small, direct positive impact on these businesses and on Maine’s economy. 

I encourage all eligible businesses to apply for the second round of the Maine Economic Recovery Program while I and governors across this country continue to call on Congress to provide greater relief to the people of the State of Maine and of this country.

I encourage everybody listening to support our small businesses. Order groceries and pick them up curbside if you wish, call your local stores and order your goods and produce locally whenever you possibly can.

We need these small businesses to survive. It’s critical to the kind of place that Maine is and to the survival of our communities.

Stay safe, keep the faith, this is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.

Your vote is your voice. Make sure your voice is heard November 3^rd by voting.

Voting is at the foundation of our democracy and voting may determine the future of your community, our state and our nation.

Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills.

I usually vote in person on Election Day, I certainly like to see people at the polls, but of course this year, I voted absentee in person in the town clerk’s office. I wanted to minimize the number of people that I came into contact with on Election Day and minimize the number of people at the polls on November 3^rd to make sure that people stay safe and healthy. Voting absentee, either in-person or by mail, during this pandemic has minimized people’s exposure to COVID-19 and I believe will protect the health of poll workers, and other voters and the community at large.

Already more than half a million people in Maine have voted absentee. And now, this week, it’s more important than ever before to be cautious, to take all kinds of safety and health precautions. Even though we’re one of the best states in the country for addressing COVID-19, our numbers are higher than ever before, and we’ve got to minimize this. We’ve got to stay safe.  

So, if you have already requested an absentee ballot, you have committed to vote that ballot. The clerk won’t give you a second ballot unless you have somehow spoiled the ballot and you return it, or the ballot you requested does not arrive or has not arrived by now.

You can also track when your absentee ballot is sent out to you and when your clerk receives it by visiting Maine.gov/sos and clicking on the “Request/Track your absentee ballot” image.

Get your ballot back to your municipal clerk as soon as possible if you’ve got an absentee ballot, and no later than 8:00 p.m. on Election Day, November 3, 2020, in the signed, sealed envelope. That’s very important.

You can still vote absentee or have a family member go pick you up a ballot Monday or Tuesday if you have an excuse or if you feel ill or incapacitated or find you’re going to be absent from the area.

You know be sure again to SIGN the envelope with your absentee ballot before you return it. That’s how the clerk knows it’s the same ballot they sent to you. If you don’t sign the envelop, your ballot won’t be counted.

If you are returning your ballot in person, you can drop it off at your town office during regular business hours on Monday, but we also provided secure drop boxes to many many towns to facilitate safe voting. 

If your town has a ballot dropbox, you’ll find it at the city hall or town hall. Drop off your completed ballot - sealed in the signed envelope - at any hour up to 8 pm November 3rd, and of course ONLY in your own town or city’s ballot dropbox. You have to sign the envelope so the clerk knows it was you who requested the ballot; but neither the clerk nor anyone else will see who you voted for.

Polling places will be open on Election Day, but if you go to the polling place on Election Day, plan for extra time because of new health and safety procedures at the polls, social distancing (six foot distancing) and sanitization measures etc.

And please wear a face covering when you go to the polls to vote and avoid face coverings or other clothing or accessories that have some political message or the name of a candidate on them cause that would be illegal.

To learn more about elections, visit the Secretary of State’s website at Maine.gov/sos.

You know, there’s also been a little bit of talk also about potential harassment or intimidation of voters in other states. We don’t expect a problem with that here in Maine and we do have plenty of tools to address it if it does occur.

Just remember, you have a constitutional right to vote. No one can prevent you. It’s your civic right and your civic responsibility.

This is Governor Janet Mills, thank you for listening, don’t forget to vote, and please stay safe.

On one day alone this week, Maine recorded 183 new cases of COVID-19, the highest single-day increase since the beginning of the pandemic. Our positivity rate, while significantly lower than other states, has more than doubled in the last two weeks and hosptializations have increased.

Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.

The nation has surpassed more than nine and a half million total cases of COVID-19 — more than 100,000 new cases in a single day — and more than 230,000 deaths — about four times the number of American soldiers who lost their lives in the Vietnam war. 150 people in Maine have died. Not just numbers on a page, people like Tom Flacke, first selectman in the town of Morrill. People all over this state are getting sick and dying. People with loved ones. Respected members of the community. People who go to your church, your grange, your legion hall.

In a Washington Post interview recently, Dr. Fauci said "We're in for a whole lot of hurt. It's not a good situation. All the stars are aligned in the wrong place as you go into the fall and winter season, with people congregating at home indoors. You could not possibly be positioned more poorly."

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and our gradual reopening process, we have constantly monitored epidemiological data, like case trends and hospitalization rates, as well as health care system readiness and capacity, all of that has informed every one of our decisions on lifting restrictions and stimulating our economy.

Like sailors who used the night skies to navigate home, public health data has been our North Star, guiding us through this pandemic.

To combat the recent rise in cases of COVID-19 and to get us back on course, we made five changes this week.

First, we extended the "Keep Maine Healthy" program through December to promote prevention efforts at the local level; second, we returned to lower indoor gathering limits; third, we postponed bar and tasting room indoor openings for now; fourth, we removed New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut from exempt status under our travel advisory; and fifth, we required that Maine people wear face coverings in all public places, regardless of how far apart we are from other people.

These moves are very similar to moves made in other states this week in response to the tragic trajectory of this pandemic.

I take these actions with a great deal of hesitancy because I’m always mindful of how our actions might affect business, might affect our economy, but I’ve been told by so many people, we cannot have a healthy economy, a healthy community, without healthy people. So we must all do our part to control this virus.

To keep people safe, to keep businesses open, to keep our economy rolling, to keep schools open, we each have to avoid gatherings, stay six feet apart from others, use hand sanitizer, get a flu shot, wear a face covering indoors and outdoors, and wash our hands frequently.

We can stem the tide of this virus, but it will require a team effort on the part of all of us. We are all in this together. You know that this is a fundamental matter of social and personal responsibility - like not driving on the wrong side of the road, like putting your young child in a car seat, like wearing a coat in cold weather. For goodness sakes, it’s common sense and now a matter of social responsibility.

We all worked together so hard this spring, summer and fall to make sure that we could leave our homes safely and get back to something of what life used to be like, with some adjustments. But, winter is coming.

It's time to hunker down, bunker in and buckle up. If we don't, as Dr. Fauci says, we're in for "a whole lot of hurt!"

This is Governor Janet Mills. Thank you for listening. Keep the faith and please stay safe.