Southern Maine hit hard by COVID-19

Portland, Maine, restaurant owner John Lowell has a lot on his mind these days.

His seating capacity has been cut in half by COVID-19 restrictions, and live music, normally a staple at Andy's Old Port Pub has, at least for the moment, been put on hold.

But he's faring better than a lot of other food establishments in southern Maine.

The COVID-19 virus has hit the state a lot harder than neighbouring New Brunswick.

With 1.3 million people, it's just under twice the size of this province, but as of Tuesday the state has had 141 deaths.

There have been 5,337 cases compared to just 200 cases and two deaths in New Brunswick.

Cumberland County, home to greater Portland and the town of Freeport, is hardest hit, with 70 deaths and 2,316 cases.

"There are a lot of places going under and it will be lean for us, it certainly will," said Lowell. "But we draw from enough different demographics that we honestly should be OK."

Lowell was manager back in January when he and his wife Tanya purchased the business from its former owners.

They could not have picked a worse time. A three-month state mandated COVID–19 restaurant shutdown was followed by an unplanned investment in Plexiglas shields and other measures to protect both staff and patrons.

If they don't have a mask, we offer a mask, and if they don't use the mask, we ask them to leave.- Sam Seidel

Under State of Maine COVID rules, customers must wear masks unless they are seated at their tables, staff are always masked and groups larger than eight are not permitted. 

Fortunately, the Lowells managed to hold onto both their regulars and most of the staff. 

All are adjusting to the mask rule, he said, although some policing is required, especially when it comes to strangers.  

"Our regulars are good about it, and they're actually good at helping to monitor other people." 

While the state's restaurant industry has been slammed hard, other retailers, such as bookstores, are doing better.

"It's hard not having the same amount of customers," said Sam Seidel, manager at Nonesuch books in South Portland.

"We had to do curbside, we've had to change how we do business. But for us, for the bookstores, we're just holding our own."

Seidel regards holding her own as a good thing.

That and the fact that those customers still turning up are reading more because of the quarantine.

And the vast majority, she says, have been co-operative about in-store mask rules. 

"If they don't have a mask, we offer a mask, and if they don't use the mask, we ask them to leave," she said.   

Central and northern Maine have fared far better than southern areas of the state.

Washington County, home to border communities such as Calais and Eastport, has had just 16 cases and no deaths.