On March 12, Maine announced the state's first confirmed case of the coronavirus, a Navy reservist in her 50s from Androscoggin County who had returned from duty in Italy.
[14] On March 2, 2020, Governor Janet Mills convened a coronavirus response team, led by Nirav Shah, director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, to coordinate state efforts against the virus.
[15] The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention began its response efforts in December 2019 when the virus was first reported in Wuhan, China.
[17] She also recommended postponing non-urgent medical procedures, doctors appointments, and elective surgeries, and restricting visitors to long-term healthcare facilities.
[23] On March 18, 2020, Governor Mills issued an executive order which mandated all bars and restaurants close to dine-in customers, but allowed take-out, delivery, and drive-through to continue.
[24] On March 19, 2020, Governor Mills wrote a letter to Vice President Mike Pence and the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar to request for more personal protective equipment be released to the state of Maine from the Strategic National Stockpile.
As more social distancing practices were put into effect, the City of Bangor began using an honor system for the bus service and asked that passengers not occupy the seats directly behind the driver.
[28][29] On March 20, 2020, Governor Mills opened waters to inland fishing and suspended license requirements until April 30 to encourage individuals to go outside during the pandemic.
[30] She wrote a letter to President Donald Trump to request financial assistance, subsidies, operating loans, or other measures to support the seafood industry, fishermen, and aquaculture.
This order also suspended hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, short-term rentals, RV parks, campgrounds, and all public and private camping facilities.
Mills signed an executive order which prevented the immediate eviction of residents during the state of emergency, and also announced a partnership with MaineHousing to provide rental assistance.
Mills's administration began a new volunteer phone support service for health care workers and first responders called the FrontLine WarmLine.
Volunteer professionals who answer the support line include licensed psychiatrists, therapists, social workers, and nurse practitioners.
[53][54] This order allowed Maine residents to visit businesses and participate in activities that were safe under Stage 1 of the governor's reopening plan, including drive-in theaters, hair salons, golf courses, and car washes.
Residents were advised to continue remote work if able, were prohibited to gather in groups of more than 10 people, and were subject to 14 day quarantines upon entry into the state.
Mills announced that she would create an Economic Recovery Committee to develop recommendations to help address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Maine's economy.
[58][59] The committee consists of thirty-seven members, and is co-chaired by Laurie Lachance, President of Thomas College and former Maine State Economist, and Josh Broder, the CEO of Tilson.
[60] The city of Biddeford gives an emergency ordinance, which allows retailers and restaurants to use public space with a temporary "special event permit".
[74] To support hybrid learning models that comply with social distancing requirements, the University of Maine system will spend $2.56 million for classroom IT upgrades.
[77] Bowdoin College announced on March 11, 2020, that students would not be permitted to return to campus from spring break and that the remainder of the semester would be conducted by remote learning.
[80] On May 4, 2020, the University of New England reported that it would reopen its campus in time for the fall semester, and on May 18, 2020, it was announced that virtual graduation events would be held the weekend of June 12–14, 2020.
[86] On March 12, 2020, The College of the Atlantic announced that all instruction for spring 2020 would move to an online format, residence halls would be closed, and all in-person services would be eliminated.
[88][89] Saint Joseph's College of Maine has transitioned all classroom instruction to online formats and held a virtual commencement ceremony on May 9, 2020.
[102][103][104] CMCC announced that all summer classes will be online on April 16, 2020, and informed students of financial assistance available through the Federal CARES Act on May 20, 2020.
[107] York County Community College (YCCC) had moved all classes online as of March 17, 2020 and on May 20, 2020, announced a postponement of their spring 2020 commencement ceremony.
[108][109] On March 15, 2021, they announced the York County '21 Promise, a full tuition scholarship for high school seniors that had taken concurrent courses at the college for students in the class of 2021 effected by the pandemic.
[111] Northern Maine Community College (NMCC) discontinued face-to-face classroom instruction on March 18, 2020, and also canceled their spring 2020 commencement ceremony.
[112] On April 12, 2020, NMCC began enrolling students in four free online healthcare career path training programs to address pandemic workforce needs.
Such projects include maintenance on several Portland-area bridges on Interstate 295, which can now occur at daytime due to a 60 percent traffic reduction from normal levels.
It was unclear how the traffic decrease would affect the Turnpike's finances, though executive director Peter Mills said he would recommend to the Authority's board that they go ahead with a vote on a $28 million contract to widen five miles of the highway.