Governor Mills Convenes Coronavirus Response Team
Response team met today to build on Maine
CDC’s work in coordinating coronavirus preparation and response to
protect public health
Governor Janet Mills today convened her Coronavirus Response Team
charged with coordinating State government’s response across departments
and local agencies and health authorities to the potential spread of
novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.
Maine CDC continues comprehensive planning to ensure Maine is
ready should the virus affect people here and encourages Maine people to
protect themselves by taking the same preventive measures that help to
avoid catching a cold.
These measures include:
- Covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue and then throwing the tissue in the trash.
- Washing your hands often with soap and water and use an alcohol-based sanitizer in between washings.
- Avoiding close contact with people who are sick and avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Staying home if you are sick.
- Taking care of your health overall by staying current on your
vaccinations, including the flu vaccine, eating well, getting a good
night’s sleep, and exercising.
The response team, led by Maine CDC Director Dr. Nirav Shah, briefed
Governor Mills and the Cabinet regarding measures to protect public
health and safety and to prevent spread of the virus should it occur in
Maine. The response team will meet regularly to share information and
coordinate coronavirus preparation and response across State government.
Governor Mills also participated in a briefing today by Vice President
Mike Pence, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar and
other federal officials for the nation’s governors about the federal
government’s response to coronavirus.
Maine has no confirmed cases of COVID-19. As Maine Center for Disease
Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) previously reported, one individual
in Maine who met federal requirements to be tested for the virus
tested negative.
“While there are no cases of coronavirus in Maine as of today, and
the risk to our state remains low, the State must be prepared to respond
swiftly and effectively to any potential cases in Maine,” said Governor
Mills. “The Coronavirus Response Team, led by Dr. Shah, will build on
our preparation and response efforts, coordinate across state government
and ensure that we are taking every precaution necessary in partnership
with local health officials, hospitals, school districts,
municipalities and others to make sure Maine is fully prepared and to
fully inform and protect all Maine people.”
“The Maine CDC has been monitoring and preparing for COVID-19 since
the virus was first identified in China in December 2019,” said Dr.
Shah. “Since then, more than 30 Maine CDC staff members have been
focused on protecting the health of Maine people by updating safety
protocols, upgrading the state lab so that testing can soon be performed
here, and working closely with hospitals, medical providers, EMS, and
other partners. As we keep working to minimize the risk of community
spread, the best thing Maine people can do is take common sense steps to
stay healthy, such as frequent hand washing.”
In addition to Dr. Shah, the response team consists of commissioners
of the Departments of Health and Human Services; Defense, Veterans and
Emergency Management; Public Safety; Education; Corrections; Labor;
Transportation; and Administrative and Financial Affairs. It also
includes the Acting Director of the Maine Emergency Management Agency.
Additional department and agency heads will participate as needed.
Maine CDC began preparedness and response efforts for COVID-19 in December 2019. The response team builds on the
work that has already been done by the Maine CDC to prepare for potential cases
of COVID-19. Maine CDC, which has been strengthened and revitalized
over the past year under the Mills Administration, has dedicated dozens
of staff to working on coronavirus preparedness and response, including:
- adjusting emergency response protocols to adapt to COVID-19;
- reviewing readiness plans to ensure state government maintains
continuity of operations and services if COVID-19 impacts agency
operations;
- hosting educational webinars for clinicians, infection control staff, and other health care professionals;
- 24-7 consultations with partners such as schools and public health departments to ensure they have information and resources;
- working closely with Maine’s health care systems as they scale up preparedness efforts;
- communicating closely with school officials including recommending
that they convene their school safety teams to review and update their
Emergency Operations Plans responsive to pandemic flu and reminding
schools that their plans should also include provisions to ensure
continuity of education in the unlikely event of a closure;
- ensuring that potential cases will be rapidly identified and investigated and that isolation procedures are in place, if needed;
- increasing supplies of personal protective equipment for health care workers and first responders;
- updating lab equipment to enable testing for the coronavirus and
engaging public health nurses as part of our emergency preparedness
team, among other measures.
More information about COVID-19 can be found can be found on the Maine CDC’s
coronavirus website, which will continue to be updated as new information becomes available.
