Kittery town officials ask Maine CDC to disclose addresses of those who tested positive for coronavirus

Town officials in Kittery are asking the Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to share the addresses of residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 in order to protect their first responders.In a letter sent to Maine CDC Director Dr. Nariv Shah and Gov. Janet Mills, Kittery Town Administrator Kendra Amaral said the information will reduce the chances of a first responder being exposed to the virus. The Maine CDC only releases the age range, gender and county of residence of someone who tested positive to the public as well as public safety departments. In the letter, Amaral said its public safety staff is already required to handle private and protected information. "The benefit of the policy is totally unclear; the impact is not," Amaral said in the letter. "The policy effectively withholds vital information from the first responders (EMS, Police, Fire) about the risk of exposure when responding to a call for public safety service." On Wednesday, Shah said the CDC has instructed dispatchers to ask if anyone in a household has tested positive, is waiting on a test result, or is showing symptoms that could be related to coronavirus when responding to a 911 call. He said the top concern is the availability of personal protective equipment to those on the front lines.Shah said on Tuesday that Mainers should assume COVID-19 is in their community, regardless of whether it has been recorded by the CDC.

Town officials in Kittery are asking the Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to share the addresses of residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 in order to protect their first responders.

In a letter sent to Maine CDC Director Dr. Nariv Shah and Gov. Janet Mills, Kittery Town Administrator Kendra Amaral said the information will reduce the chances of a first responder being exposed to the virus.


The Maine CDC only releases the age range, gender and county of residence of someone who tested positive to the public as well as public safety departments.

In the letter, Amaral said its public safety staff is already required to handle private and protected information.

"The benefit of the policy is totally unclear; the impact is not," Amaral said in the letter. "The policy effectively withholds vital information from the first responders (EMS, Police, Fire) about the risk of exposure when responding to a call for public safety service."

On Wednesday, Shah said the CDC has instructed dispatchers to ask if anyone in a household has tested positive, is waiting on a test result, or is showing symptoms that could be related to coronavirus when responding to a 911 call. He said the top concern is the availability of personal protective equipment to those on the front lines.

Shah said on Tuesday that Mainers should assume COVID-19 is in their community, regardless of whether it has been recorded by the CDC.