Health

But as numbers remain comparatively low, CDC director Dr. Nirav Shah says vaccination numbers must continue growing to prevent potential surges of the disease.

The Mills Administration announced today that it expects all schools to offer full-time, in person learning this fall.

Among the entire state population, 54% is fully vaccinated. Eight people in Maine who were fully vaccinated against COVID-19 have died from the disease.

The Maine CDC is reporting three additional deaths among patients with the disease.

But the seven-day average of confirmed new cases has been trending downward since mid-April, from nearly 500 then to around 75 now.

The Maine chapter of the Alzheimer's Association is welcoming the FDA's approval on Monday of a new drug to treat the disease.

That continues a downward trend in new infections over the past couple weeks — with a brief spike last week.

New England is giving the rest of the country a possible glimpse into the future if more Americans get vaccinated. The six-state region has among the highest vaccination rates in the U.S. and is seeing sustained drops in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths.

Maine’s cumulative COVID-19 cases is now 68,232. 839 people have died from COVID-19 in Maine since the pandemic began.

Lawmakers have long been critical of the way DHHS provides services to families and children. In recent years the legislature has approved increases in staff, including child protective workers.