AUGUSTA — The average age of individuals in Maine testing positive for COVID-19 has fallen since the beginning of the pandemic, according to Maine CDC Director Dr. Nirav Shah. 

At the outset of the pandemic, the mean age was 55.2 years old while the median age was 56.7 years old. 

Those figures have now fallen to 46.9 years old for the mean and 47.2 years old for the median. 

“This shift was expected as younger individuals resume economic and social activity,” Shah wrote in a tweet.

The drop is a reminder that younger folks can also test positive for COVID-19, Shah noted. 

Through the end of the day July 1, there are nearly 1,300 COVID-19 cases in Maine involving individuals less than 40 years old out of more than 3,300 statewide cases. 

With the mean and median age of positive individuals in Maine decreasing, Shah noted it is imperative for all individuals to wear a face covering, especially for those attending any sort of gathering for the Independence Day weekend.  

Breakdown of Maine’s cases by age