Maine CDC expects COVID-19 spike after Christmas holiday
by The Associated Press
Last Updated Dec 28, 2020 at 3:58 pm EDT
AUGUSTA, Maine The director of the Maine Center for Disease Control warned Monday of another spike in COVID-19 cases in coming days because of people travelling and gathering around the Christmas holiday and a corresponding increase in testing.
“All of those factors point in the same direction. The bottom line (is) that there’s a high likelihood of an increase in increasing numbers of cases across the state of Maine in the coming weeks,” Dr. Nirav Shah said.
The state saw a similar spike in COVID-19 after Thanksgiving, so hospitals are prepared for more patients, Shah said.
Dr. Courtney N. Phillips is the Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health, the state’s largest agency with a budget of $14 billion. Her oversight responsibilities include public health and other direct service programs for citizens in need such as behavioral health, developmental disabilities, aging and adult services, emergency preparedness, and the Medicaid program.
Dr. Phillips served as executive commissioner of Texas Health and Human Services (HHS) where she was committed to improving the health, safety and well-being for millions of Texans. She was responsible for more than 40,000 team members, a $78.5 billion biennium budget and more than 220 programs ranging from health care, food safety and benefits to public health tracking and regulation of child care, nursing and health care facilities.