Mills is Maine's latest public official to test positive for COVID-19

File photo Gov. Janet Mills, who is vaccinated and boosted, tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday.

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By Jessica Hall

Gov. Janet Mills, who is fully vaccinated and received two booster shots against the disease, tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday and said she would isolate for at least five days per current health guidelines.

Mills tested positive using a BinaxNOW rapid test after developing a mild scratchy throat. She had no other symptoms, her office said.

Mills received her second booster dose on April 8, giving her the strongest level of protection available against serious complications or hospitalization from COVID-19.

“This is a good reminder that even though we may want to be done with COVID, it’s not necessarily done with us,” Mills said. “I’m grateful for the strong protection that the vaccine has provided me, which I believe is one of the reasons why I am still feeling well. I’ll be spending the next few days working remotely, monitoring my symptoms, and fully recovering.”

After consulting with her doctor, she was prescribed Paxlovid, an oral antiviral taken at home to prevent severe COVID-19 symptoms. President Joe Biden announced this week he would make Paxlovid available to more pharmacies. The drug reduces the risk of hospitalization by 90%.

Mills was isolating and said she would follow all guidelines from the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The governor tests frequently as a precautionary measure. Her last negative test result was on Tuesday afternoon. Any close contacts of the governor have been notified, her office said.

Mills had several public events this week, including signing bills to address Maine’s housing shortage in Augusta and an appearance at Southern Maine Community College to promote two years of free schooling for students affected by the pandemic.

On Friday, Maine reported 470 new cases of COVID-19, along with one additional death. Since the pandemic began, Maine has recorded 244,062 cases of COVID-19, and 2,283 deaths. As of Thursday, hospitalizations totaled 132, with 33 patients in critical care and three on ventilators.

Mills is the latest Maine dignitary to test positive in recent months. U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, tested positive for the virus on April 7, while U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine 2nd District, said in March that he had tested positive. U.S. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, tested positive in August 2021. The three politicians said they were fully vaccinated and boosted when they test positive.