Governor Mills Announces Updated Re-Opening Guidelines
According to WMTW, Governor Mills has announced updated guidelines pertaining to the re-opening of businesses in Maine. Instead of re-opening the state as a whole, these new guidelines take into account the current situation in each county.
Certain businesses in the 12 of Maine's 16 counties will be allowed to re-open certain businesses sooner than was originally thought. These 12 counties currently have no community transmission.
Those counties are: Kennebec, Somerset, Waldo, Knox, Aroostook, Piscataquis, Washington, Hancock, Franklin, Oxford, Lincoln and Sagadahoc.
Starting Monday (May 11th), retail stores will be allowed to re-open, as long as they adhere to safety guidelines. Precautions to be taken during this phase include: limiting the amount of customers in the store and an increase in the amount of time spent cleaning.
On Monday, May 18th, restaurants will be allowed to re-open for outdoor dining and limited dine-in service. Some of the special guidelines for the re-opening of restaurants include using laminated menus, using pre-packaged condiments, and closing areas where customers serve themselves, like salad bars. The governor recommended that restaurants use reservations whenever possible.
On Monday (May 11th), fitness centers will be able to begin holding outside training sessions for groups of 10 people or less.
And, on Monday, May 18th, remote campsites will be able to re-open.