PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — People are welcome to enjoy a summery drink in Maine, but they won’t be able to enjoy that drink inside a bar.
Gov. Janet Mills’s administration is indefinitely postponing the reopening of bars for indoor service because of recent outbreaks in other states, Health and Human Services Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew said Monday.
Those outbreaks involving bars in Florida, Texas, Louisiana and Idaho show how easily the coronavirus spreads in that environment, she said.
“This was a difficult decision but necessary given the increased public health risks and the outbreaks we have seen across the country,” Lambrew said.
Bars, breweries and tasting rooms have reopened for outdoor seated service. Indoor service was originally scheduled for July 1.
Most of the state’s economy has been allowed to reopen, but the state continues to review epidemiological data and other markers to ensure public health is not compromised, she said.
In other coronavirus-related news:
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THE NUMBERS
Another 14 people tested positive for the new coronavirus over the the past 24 hours but there were no deaths, the Maine Center for Disease Control reported Monday.
The latest numbers bring to 2,971 the number of people who contracted the coronavirus while the number of deaths remained unchanged at 102 in Maine, the CDC said.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.
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