The White House is changing its posture from one of confronting an emergency to nudging Americans back to normalcy as the nation learns to live with a less-severe virus that is likely to remain endemic.
Health
Most Maine counties move to low-risk status under federal COVID guidelines
Ten of Maine’s 16 counties are considered ‘green’ or low-risk for virus transmission and hospital burden, according to the U.S. CDC.
How will COVID end? Experts look to past epidemics for clues
It a long, drawn-out process that includes different types of endings that may not all occur at the same time.
Bill to ban COVID-19 vaccine mandates dies after Maine Senate votes it down
Proponents argued that vaccine safety and effectiveness is far from settled, but opponents said vulnerable people in group settings, like schools or hospitals, deserve to know every effort is being made to keep them safe.
Waterville hospital violated policies in assessment of man who later shot himself, federal report says
The suicidal man, who died from his wounds, had sought care at Northern Light Inland Hospital in August but a proper evaluation of him was not done, according to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Maine clears backlog of COVID-19 tests, reports 2 more deaths
The backlog of positive tests had swelled to about 60,000 in February after the state was overwhelmed during the omicron variant wave.
‘A little different, a little broken’: How COVID-19 has changed us
Much as changed in the two years since COVID-19 arrived in Maine, and some changes will be permanent
Federal CDC lifts its masking recommendation for all of Maine
The federal agency is, however, still advising that people who are immunocompromised or at high risk for severe illness wear a mask indoors.
Portland schools not ready to lift mask mandate despite change in guidelines
The largest district in Maine is diverging from new state – and now federal – recommendations and plans to keep masks for the foreseeable future.
Mills administration lifting Maine’s school mask recommendation
The Maine CDC said Wednesday that universal indoor masking will no longer be recommended for school and child care providers as of next Wednesday.