BREAKING NEWS:
STAGE 3 - The Re-Opening of Lodging Businesses to 0ut of state visitors MOVED from JULY 1 to JUNE 26th *with the new plan in place*.
Governor Mills Unveils
“Keep Maine Healthy”
Plan to Protect Maine People, Visitors & Support Small Businesses During Tourism Season
---------------------------------------------------------------
CHAMBER'S RESPONSE:
The Governor has offered an alternative to the 14-day quarantine, which is proof of a negative COVID-19 test, taken within 72 hours of check-in.
Visitors must produce a
Certificate of Compliance
stating that they have no symptoms AND that they have either quarantined for 14 days
within
the state of Maine
PRIOR
to check in, or that they have
tested negative
for COVID-19 based on the parameters mentioned above.
SINCE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, our chamber has received 14 calls from Massachusetts, 6 from New York and 5 from New Jersey, from residents wanting to come to Maine who have checked with their local testing sites
HERE
and were told they could only get tested, 1) with a Dr.'s referral, 2) if they have symptoms; or, 3) if they are an essential worker and the test is required to return to work.
NO TESTING AVAILABLE TO SATISFY ELECTIVE TRAVEL
These folks were told
'wanting to go to Maine is NOT a valid reason to be tested'.
For this reason, we are asking the Governor's Office and the DECD to come up with another alternative to the 14 day quarantine.
