Fully vaccinated Mainers should be prepared to resume wearing masks indoors as the delta variant of the coronavirus makes up a substantial portion of new COVID-19 cases, according to Maine’s top public health official.

“We probably need to be prepared, even for fully vaccinated folks, for the time being, to go back to wearing masks in indoor settings,” Shah told councilors during a workshop.  .

In addition, he said, vaccinated children should prepare for the possibility of wearing masks when they return to school in the fall. .

Some 54.5 percent of Penobscot County residents are vaccinated, according to the Maine CDC

In the zip code that covers Bangor, Glenburn, Hermon and Veazie, 83 percent of residents are fully vaccinated

If this continues, Shah said, Maine residents may need to start ramping up protective measures such as masking and social distancing that waned earlier this summer when caseloads were lower