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Officials: Clearer Guidance Around Lodging For Out-Of-State Guests Is In The Works

Rebecca Conley
/
Maine Public

State officials say they will provide lodging operators more guidance on how quarantine rules for travelers to Maine will be enforced. Meantime, there is some confusion about whether nonessential travelers from out of state can stay at hotels or other lodgings here in June.

Kate Foye, a spokeswoman for the Department of Economic and Community Development, says that in June, out-of-state travelers may not book a room, cabin or house in Maine — whether for one day, a long weekend, or 14 days — unless they have previously quarantined for two full weeks in Maine in a noncommercial setting.

“Those are open to Maine residents and to people that have already completed a 14-day quarantine in the state. So we’re talking about folks that have second homes here that are already here or would come here in June and stay in their homes for 14 days. They’re private homes, and then they would be able to stay in these lodging facilities,” she says.

Some lodging owners this week began marketing invitations for quarantined stays in Maine that were not in line with the state guidance. Steve Hewins of industry group Hospitality Maine says there has been a lot of confusion about the issue.

State officials say they are still working on ways to ease and clarify quarantine restrictions.

A Columbia University graduate, Fred began his journalism career as a print reporter in Vermont, then came to Maine Public in 2001 as its political reporter, as well as serving as a host for a variety of Maine Public Radio and Maine Public Television programs. Fred later went on to become news director for New England Public Radio in Western Massachusetts and worked as a freelancer for National Public Radio and a number of regional public radio stations, including WBUR in Boston and NHPR in New Hampshire.