The Harpswell town office will be closed for the remainder of the week after one employee tested positive for COVID-19.
The office is scheduled to reopen on Monday, Nov. 15, the town stated in a Facebook post Wednesday. Until then, Harpswell Town Administrator Kristi Eiane said town employees will be checking messages for any residents who need immediate assistance.
Eiane said all close contacts of the employee who tested positive have been notified, but she declined to say when the employee was last in the office or whether they interacted with members of the public.
The town still has safety precautions in place including plexiglass shields at windows that face the public. Visitors are also encouraged to wear a face mask indoors, though Eiane said it’s not a requirement.
“We want to take this as an opportunity to remind people that the virus is still circulating and we need to take precautions to minimize the spread,” said Eiane.
Eiane said town employees aren’t required to take a COVID-19 test before returning to work on Monday, but they are asked to stay home if they feel unwell.
According to state data, 99% of Harpswell residents are vaccinated against COVID-19. Cumberland County also holds the highest vaccination rate in the state with 84% of eligible residents fully vaccinated as of Wednesday.
Although Cumberland County remains the county with the most COVID-19 cases since March 2020, Harpswell, with a population of about 4,000, has seen only 142 cases as of Wednesday, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Within Cumberland County, 22,820 residents have tested positive for COVID-19 as of Wednesday and 236 have died, according to the Maine CDC.
Statewide, 109,592 Mainers have tested positive and 1,217 have died since March 2020.
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