Gov. Janet Mills announces "Stay Healthy at Home" order, restricting travel

on the phone oh good are you getting up to be a pro when do you want to start good afternoon dr.

Shah director of the Maine CDC reported this morning that there are eight twenty eight additional confirmed cases of kovat 19 in Maine several of those individuals of small children forty-three invaluable health care workers have tested positive and as of this morning two more people with the disease have died bringing the total number of deaths in our state to five we mourn the loss of each one of these individuals and we pray for the more than 3-hundred who have been now diagnosed with this virus across the state of Maine dozens in our IC use right now and of course the hundreds of thousands across the country and across the globe here at home more action is necessary so in the last 16 days I have proclaimed a state of a civil emergency I have prohibited gatherings of more than 10 people we have closed dine in service at restaurants and bars we have prohibited public-facing interactions for non-essential businesses we have urged schools to end in classroom instruction which they have done we have closed a number of state parks very popular places to prevent people from congregating there and among other things we've implored many people to stay at least 6 feet apart from one another these are no ordinary times 16 days seems like an eternity for most of us no ordinary times but these are times when extraordinary actions are required so today I am taking the most aggressive action yet effective this Thursday morning April 2nd until April 30th I am ordering all main people to stay at home you may leave only if you work in an in an essential business or to conduct or participate in some essential activity such as getting groceries going to the pharmacy seeking medical care caring for a family member outside your home or going for a walk or on a hike to fish or walk a pet abbreviated exercise but while you're out you still must maintain 6 feet distance between yourself and other people other than immediate family or children household members I am ordering people as well not to use public transportation unless an essential for an essential reason or for a job that cannot be done from home for those who travel in their own vehicles I am ordering that they limit passengers to persons within their immediate household unless they're transporting someone for medical or public health reasons I am also ordering those essential stores that remain open to limber the number limit the number of customers in their stores at any one time excuse me to implement curbside pickup and delivery options as much as possible and to enforce US CDC recommended physical distancing requirements for customers and employees in and around their facilities I'm also ordering the continued closure of schools for classroom and other in-person instruction until at least May 1st most schools have already done this of their own volition and in line with my previous recommendation traveling to and from an educational institution for purposes of receiving food or meals or instructional materials for distance learning is allowed well I cannot simply close the state's border or pull up the Maine New Hampshire bridges a few people have suggested I will insist that persons entering our state or returning to Maine from somewhere else they self-quarantine for 14 days we will be issuing a further order in this regard with more details in the next day or so for those people come to Maine however my message is clear you should not think you can escape the virus by coming here and while you are here you are obviously subject to the laws protocols and orders of the state of Maine our health facilities may soon be overcrowded and that overwhelmed if you get sick if you are sick treatment may be scarce or even unavailable to you and to the people of Maine we are in the midst of the greatest public health crisis or one of the greatest that this world has seen in more than a century the virus will continue to sicken people across our state our cases will only grow and more people will die I say this just to be direct to be as honest as I can with you because saving lives will depend on all of us if anyone today believes that this virus won't affect them or their family if anyone is still saying to themselves can't happen to me I implore you listen to dr.

Shaw listen to dr.

funky listen to those experts listen to the facts and the science and the medical personnel a whom we on whom we rely don't be indifferent to these facts the late eally Italy Wiesel the Nobel Peace Prize winner and survivor of the Holocaust told us quote the opposite of love is not hate the opposite of love is indifference the opposite of art is not ugliness its indifference the opposite of faith is not heresy its indifference and the opposite of life is not death its indifference before us today is a test of our shared humanity indifference to that test will result in more people becoming infected with the virus including some of you listening to me today it will result in our hospitals being overwhelmed and it certainly will result in more people dying I implore you look to yourself look to your family your friends your loved ones your neighbors on the front lines the first responders and the health care workers who can't stay home they're fighting this virus look to the children who live around the corner from you the farmer who grows your food the grocer and the pharmacist who sell you goods the teachers who are missing those kids the fisherman the sailor the truck driver the janitor the waitress that's your favorite diner these are the people you're protecting by staying home this is who you're saving I believe more than anything in you in the people of Maine I believe more than anything that we will conquer this virus together I've said it before and I'm saying it again things are going to get worse before they get better but by doing our part now they will get better today we may feel fear anxiety that unsettledness that dr.

Shaw referred to earlier today but every day I feel hope – we know hope because of the Maine people who are stepping up in droves to help others we know hope because of the 68 people who have recovered if we pull together we can and will defeat this virus if we all do our part you and your family can stay safe and the sooner we take these measures that I'm ordering today the sooner we can flatten that curve avoid the surge and be safe once again as a state we stay apart now so that sooner rather than later we will all be together at work at school and at play once again so do your part stay apart if you love your neighbor if you love your family if you love this state as I do please stay healthy stay home god bless you and yours and keep you all safe and god bless the state of Maine and I believe we have a few questions on the phone thank you very much governor Andrews from the bdn gateman go ahead Thank You governor take this action rather than a week or two weeks ago series on conditions or I guess change it the way things were in the state like the number of death we're dealing with this virus this invisible threat day-to-day hour-to-hour week my administration my commissioners we consult every day several times a day we consult with our esteemed CDC director dr.

Shah every day I consult with other governors just yesterday I was on the phone with the other governors and the president and the vice president it was the sixth call the sixth communal call that we've had in less than two weeks and so every day we're conversing and coordinating and seeing what's right for our individual states today seemed like the right thing to do the right time the right place to issue this order that addresses a number of very serious concerns that have grown over the last few hours in the last few days great thanks Caitlin we'll come back we're gonna cycle through and then we'll do any rounds follow-ups next up is Kevin Miller from the Press Herald go ahead Kevin hey Kevin thank you taking let's call so I just wanted to talk a little bit more what this is obviously a statewide mandate we've had voluntary or you know local events at local orders in the past you know were there what was your sense for people not doing enough were they not social didn't think enough we're still hearing reports of people congregating or or is it really meant to send a message that hey we need to get serious and we need to make sure that happens I I've been impressed favorably impressed by the compliance of the people of Maine from everything I hear on the ground from what I hear from different towns and cities public officials law enforcement and yet it seems necessary to make this and turn this into an order to just make sure that people are complying with best practices best public health practices I have not been out scouting around to see who might be at the playground who might be playing a pickup game of basketball I'm sure there been a few we know there were 3, 000 people at Popham beach a week ago in one afternoon I wish I could have been there too but you know it's not it's not what good public health practices require and so we're issuing the order not because of non-compliance but because we need to sort of codify these rules make them explicit and unambiguous thanks governor we're gonna go nope go next and clay Gordon clay go ahead hi clay hey governor a couple of questions I mean like this is trying to put into a three part the first one is is any of this enforceable second is has urban language discuss to assist the homeless population and the networks of organizations that support them and in regard to the important city council amendments passed last night for their extension it was a suspension of evictions do you plan on implementing anything the same statewide that's three different questions there clay you cheated well first on the home let me let me back up and say there are probably four basic things that we are still dealing with hour to hour that are not in this order a one is dealing with the homeless population and dr.

Shaw and Commissioner lambreaux and city officials from various municipalities who are most who are most directly dealing with the homeless populations are trying to manage that trying to coordinate alternative responses for those who don't have a place to stay at night or during the day that's a challenge they are coordinating that I don't have an easy answer for you right now second thing that we're trying to coordinate and we're thinking about thinking ahead is the elections in June what can what can be done a town officials are concern that people will gather at the polling places and this emergency may not be over with by June 9th that's a valid concern there are people who work the polls who are of a vulnerable population so we're looking at that that's not in this order thirdly we're looking at state employees and how we can best protect them and fourthly the order that I mentioned in in my statement about people coming from out of state or returning from out of state how we can best enforce that kind of an edict so the homeless homeless issue I don't have an answer for you right now we are dealing with it we know that it is a priority your second question another question was about evictions I believe correct I think that's great anyway I have spoken to banks financial institutions and a number of landlords making sure that they are ready to accommodate people's needs that for people who cannot pay the rent or can't pay all of the rent because of the response to this virus every one of them has assured me that they are willing to work with tenants who are facing non-payment tomorrow is April 1st it's often enough the day the rent is due I'm convinced that there is flexibility there I'm also convinced that they're informed that there has been flexibility by financial institutions mortgage holders who are dealing with landlords and property owners I don't think it's a one-size-fits-all problem or one that it calls for a one-size-fits-all a solution but I'm happy to deal with that at least informally at this time and I understand what Portland has done they're entitled to do that what was the third part of your three-part question yes they are title 37b gives the administration and all our enforcement across the state and licensing licensing agencies full authority to enforce all the provisions of this order and every other order that we've issued thank you guys Thank You clay great we turn next to Kate caught from the Ellsberg over there okay Thank You governor there is any talk of delivering personal protective equipment to frontline medical personnel such as grocery store cashiers and public transportation workers given that be seen several years and a gas station attendant yeah one of the recommendations in this one of the provisions in this order does ask that stores with customer a customer base that they limit the customer base and he got any one time and that they put up protective shields I'm not sure I'm not a public health expert what I've heard and read Mass may not be the best way to protect against the spread of the virus in that and a public location but no we have not asked to or been asked to distribute I'm not not we're distributing PPE initially to health care professionals we need to protect them and their families and first responders and those of course in the hospitals who need them right now and also add that as the governor noted the plexiglas recommendation for large retail establishments between the customer service person and the employee although masks can be effective in different settings Plexiglas is as it suggests a thick piece of glass that that is that that would be a very effective barrier in this situation and I concur with the governor obviously in our executive order that that is a real barrier that will be helpful we'll turn next to David singer from WGME hi David David singer okay we'll come back to david going next to Steve Missler thank you how much of this to order was your decision to implement this order was driven by the fact that not only as a applying residents to stay home but as potentially as a deterrent for out-of-state visitors who think they might be able to flee the virus by coming here I think the order speaks for itself in that regard we we addressed many things in this order and to a large extent a lot of it is addressed as addressing stores where people might congregate wherever they may be from it is basically protecting people against personal contact avoiding personal contact respecting physical distances it is the single as you know from watching and hearing the news it is the single thing that will prevent the spread of this virus that will flatten the curve and that will prevent the surge that we all want to avoid inevitably so it's preventing physical contact in terms of travel what we're saying what we're saying is people shouldn't travel period whether they're from Maine or from another state we'll do a quick round of follow-up Steve did you have a follow up would be a deterrent from other for people who think they might bill to get here how much of that was a consideration the question very clearly we are discouraging people coming here from other states and we're discouraging people returning here from other states may well be a significant population in Florida snowbirds who want to come back we're asking them to stay put because it's the safest thing for them to do for themselves and for the people they might come into contact with here keeping back over to you for any follow-ups yeah Thank You governor if this order wasn't spurred by people not observing of social distancing recommendations once there's something else you mentioned you've been in contact a lot with other state governors but there may be like a state with a similar situation to Maine that you were kind of watching and thought that maybe it would be good to kind of follow what they've been doing you know this order is unlike any order from any other state honestly I reviewed borders of a variety of sorts and I've talked with other governors people whom I respect a great deal like Governor Hogan and Maryland Governor Scott in Vermont governor Beshear in Kentucky in governor wolf in Pennsylvania have done very had taken very thoughtful measures in their own states their states they're each different from Maine they have different scenarios even with respect to this virus governor Hogan yesterday followed District of Columbia and and the governor of Virginia in issuing sort of correlated coordinated orders because those orders all together affect the metropolitan population of more than 15 million people a population that routinely interacts between those three communities so that's a different kind of order than what I'm ordering different from Vermont's order which has had one in particular flare-up in a one in particular congregate living situation but and it's different than Massachusetts is order this order is geared to Maine the needs of Maine the state of Maine the needs of Maine people I got to say there's just there's nothing normal about any of this you know we crafted this order my office and me and I trying to think about how we tailor this to the businesses that live in Maine the people who live in Maine the various communities where we don't have a city of over a hundred thousand people we have a dispersed population nevertheless spring has come people want to get outside people want to do things they want to go to the beach they want to go for hikes and such and we're just reinforcing what should happen and what should not and cannot happen in order to prevent this virus from spreading in our communities Kevin Miller do you have any follow-ups yeah thanks following up on the question about enforcement to two questions can you just elaborate any more on what that title 37b what it would allow you or police to do and then also on the out-of-state residents I know different strategies and different states some states are allowing to refers to pull over folks without a state plate to check on what they're doing is that one of the things you're envisioning I'm not ordering such a move I'm not ordering that we live in a police state as such the order is enforceable under the provisions of title 37 B which are pretty plenary it can be enforced by law enforcement as necessary violations are classy crimes subject to up to six months in prison in jail and a $1, 000 fine there are also licensing provisions and other provisions of law that might apply to entities subject to this order follow-ups to the person oregano your line is open clay any follow us okay very good Kate cough from Ellsworth American any follow-ups thank you can you talk a little bit about how this affects non-essential watching I'm sure you are aware that forever in Portland as well have now enacted bans I'm not just non-essential lodging air game gave by Thursday at all actually I believe it does not what we say in this order is that this order because it is state issued preempts I'll read your language section Roman numeral five the order preempts any local ordinance or emergency order of the same subject matter that is less restrictive than or otherwise inconsistent with this order I wouldn't read those ordinances or or emergency orders from those towns to be inconsistent with this order and demon singer any follow-ups [Music] David any follow-ups on your end okay that's it gunner that's it thank you very much for your questions and I hope I've answered what you know perhaps not to your satisfaction these are no ordinary times as I said nothing feels really right about doing this nothing feels normal about doing this who's on the phone I don't think any any of the governors I've spoken with or dealt with have ever expected to have to take these kinds of measures when they ran for governor when they became governor no one anticipated this kind of measure these kinds of measures I begged the people of Maine to be patient to be tolerant to act with kindness compassion and humanity towards your neighbors your family your friends and your community members across the state as we engage in this unusual manner to put to bed this terrible dangerous deadly virus thank you that was governor Janet Mills with an update on kovat 19 in Maine and in case you missed it she issued a stay at home mandate meaning that you need to stay at home at all times unless for an essential job or for an essential personal reason such as obtaining food medicine health care or other necessary purposes like caring for a family member now this order takes effect on Thursday and it will last the entire month of April some new restrictions include limiting the number of customers allowed in to essential business buildings at any one time when you are at work or are out of the home you are to stay six feet apart the governor is prohibiting the use of public transportation unless for an essential reason or job that cannot be done from home and limiting the number of people traveling in private vehicles to persons within the immediate household that is unless they are transporting for essential activities she is also mandating that virtual learning schools will continue until at least May first that means that schools will remain closed for the entire month of April she did address out of Staters she said that anyone entering Maine or returning to Maine is required to self quarantine for 14 days asked if some of these new mandates were in response to out of Staters coming into Maine or Mainers coming back to Maine she said only that people should not travel that they are deterring people discouraging people from coming to Maine and that includes snowbirds who may be in Florida and want to come back to me and she says you are safer to stay where you are she added that all of these orders are absolutely enforceable in Maine law so that's a recap of what just happened we begin our news right now [Applause] [Music] good evening I'm Pat Callaghan we're continuing with our Kovan 19 coverage on NewsCenter Maine at 5:00 there are now five deaths from this virus in Maine that is up [Music] [Applause] [Music] you [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] you.