Gov. Mills extends curfew for Maine businesses

(The Center Square) – Gov. Janet Mills has extended a curfew on Maine businesses as the state continues to battle rising COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations.

The restrictions, which first took effect ahead of Thanksgiving, require bars, restaurants, movie theaters, performing arts venues and casinos and other indoor and outdoor entertainment venues to shut down by 9 p.m. Businesses are still allowed to offer curbside pickup and delivery services after 9 p.m. under the restrictions.

The executive order, which was set to expire on Jan. 3, will now continue indefinitely.

Mills said the state can’t afford to ease the restrictions with rising COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations from the holiday season pushing the state’s health care system to the brink.

“Maintaining an early closing time for businesses will keep them open for the majority of their operating hours while curbing late night gatherings where we are more likely to lower our guard,” the Democrat said in a statement.

Pro-business groups argue the restrictions unfairly punish struggling small businesses for rising COVID-19 rates and will slow the state’s overall economic recovery.

Mills has resisted calls from public health groups for a “lock down” like the one she imposed in the spring, but has taken other steps to limit spread of the coronavirus, such as reducing the number of people allowed at indoor gatherings to 50 people and setting a mandatory mask requirement.

On Sunday, Maine reported 350 new COVID-19 cases, and a seven-day test positivity rate of 5.43%. About 190 people are currently hospitalized, with about 50 patients in intensive care units. To date, the state has reported at least 25,245 confirmed and suspected cases and 260 deaths.

Dr. Nirav Shah, Director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said the state is experiencing a post-holiday surge of infections and is urging Mainers to take precautions to prevent the spread of the virus as vaccines roll out.

“The more we can do to limit transmission now, the more effective our ongoing vaccination effort will be,” he said in a statement. “By limiting non-essential interactions, wearing masks in public, staying at least 6 feet apart, and washing hands frequently, we help keep the virus away from vulnerable people until they can be vaccinated.”

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