Maine CDC Concerned About Cold Weather, Indoor Gatherings

The director of the Maine Center for Disease Control said he is concerned about an increase in COVID-19 cases as the weather gets colder and gatherings are moved inside.

"I am concerned about where we are," Dr. Nirav Shah said, during a media briefing on Tuesday,

He said the Maine CDC is concerned, and that Maine residents should be also.

It was easy, over the summer, he said, to keep family gatherings safe through the wearing of face masks and physically distancing. While the larger events were cancelled, families still found ways to connect, albeit from a safe distance.

Indoor gatherings, however, have proven to be more dangerous, with significant outbreaks traced to things like wedding receptions and funerals. So, as the weather gets colder and people start staying inside more, the Maine CDC is concerned about a spike in COVID-19 cases.

Add the fact that we're heading into the holiday season, starting with Halloween, into Thanksgiving, and beyond, and the challenges and perils start mounting up. Dr Shah said, in relation to Halloween, it's not currently necessary to cancel the festivities altogether, but that people will need to take precautions, like having someone monitoring how many kids approach a house at a time. He said, instead of saying we can't do it, residents should be thinking about "how we can work together now to lay the groundwork for it to safely happen in six weeks."

Generally speaking, Mainers need to use their common sense, by limiting the number and size of indoor gatherings, allowing for physical distancing, and wearing their face coverings. Consider connecting with family via Zoom or Skype, rather than visiting in person.

As with everything else in this pandemic, these recommendations are fluid, and could change if the state sees a large uptick in cases, Shah said.