Maine Gov. Janet Mills announced on Monday that she would unveil a plan to reopen the economy on Tuesday.
"Restarting certain businesses will not be based on whether a business is considered essential or not essential," Mills said. "We plan to open businesses gradually based on if they can operate safely."
The governor reminded that the state will follow four specific guidelines to safely reopen the economy: protecting public health, maintaining health care readiness, building reliable and accessible testing and prioritizing public-private cooperation.
Mills said over 100,000 Mainers who were employed at the beginning of March are now unemployed and applying for benefits. Almost 70% of those who have applied are receiving benefits, including the $600-a-week benefit approved by Congress.
"I know that for some of you these past weeks have been extraordinarily tough," she said. "Our efforts to beat this virus are working, so hold on. If we stay on this path, our numbers should improve and we can start our way to recovery."
One more Mainer -- a man in his 70s from Kennebec County -- died of coronavirus, bringing the state's death toll to 51, Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew said Monday.
Lambrew said the number of people with confirmed cases of the coronavirus reached 1,023 on Monday, with six new cases from the day before. Also, 244 health care workers have tested positive statewide since the beginning of the pandemic.
According to Maine CDC, 549 more people recovered from COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, an increase of 17 from the day before. As of Monday, Lambrew 39 patients are hospitalized with coronavirus. Sixteen are in ICU and seven are on ventilators.
Lambrew said Maine CDC hasn't reported any new cases in long-term care or assisted living facilities as of Monday, with a total of 268 people between staff and residents -- 26% of the total numbers -- who tested positive for the coronavirus.
She said Maine's goal is to get sufficient testing so that anybody who they suspect has COVID-19 can be tested and not spread the disease in their community.
