Coronavirus In RI: Restaurant, Business Closures Extended To May

PROVIDENCE, RI — The ban on large gatherings, dine-in services at restaurants and other social distancing requirements for the new coronavirus have been extended until at least May, Gov. Gina Raimondo announced Tuesday. There are 147 additional cases in the state and three new deaths. There have now been 1,229 cases and 30 deaths in total, and 123 current hospitalizations.

New on Tuesday, hospitals will now be required to provide the Department of Health daily updates with information such as the number of tests administered, the number of cases of COVID-19 and supplies of personal protective equipment. While hospitals have already been providing this information regularly, the daily numbers will help the state acquire supplies of PPE from both the federal government and private vendors, Raimondo said.

The governor extended some of her executive orders relating to the virus to May 8, and some indefinitely. The latest updates are listed below.

Extended to May 8

• Ban on gatherings of five people or more
• Closure of dine-in services at restaurants (takeout, curbside pickup and delivery are acceptable)
• Closure of entertainment venues such as theaters, cinemas and zoos
• Closure of "close contact" businesses such as hair salons
• Anyone coming to Rhode Island from out-of-state by any mode of travel must self-quarantine at home for 14 days
• Suspension of the open meetings law provision banning video and phone meetings
• Requiring all health insurance providers to cover telehealth visits in the same way as in-person visits
• Gun permit background checks extension from seven to 30 days

Extended indefinitely

• Closure of the State House to visitors
• Ban on visitors at Rhode Island prisons, nursing homes and hospitals
• Closure of state parks and beaches
• Online-only customer service at state services such as the Department of Labor and Training
• Division of Motor Vehicle services available in limited capacity, by appointment only
• Closure of Rhode Island casinos

Since March 9, Rhode Islanders filed approximately 105,000 unemployment claims, Raimondo said. So far, more than 70,000 have been processed, and the Department of Labor and Training is working to get benefits to everyone who needs them as soon as possible. Once again, residents are reminded not to call to check on the status of their benefits unless at least 14 days have passed. Most people will receive their benefits 10 to 12 days after filing.

All Rhode Islanders are reminded to write down, at the end of each day, every place they went to and the people they came in close contact with. It's not enough to simply remember it, Raimondo said, instead everyone must write it down on paper to keep a detailed record. If the person becomes ill, the Rhode Island Department of Health will use that record for contact tracing.

"This isn't an option," Raimondo said. "At this point of the crisis everybody needs to be keep a journal of your contacts. It's not enough to have a mental list."

Along with washing hands frequently, avoiding gatherings and maintaining safe distances of at least 6 feet when in public, essential workers who must continue to go to work must stay home if they are sick, even a little. This is especially true for health care workers, Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott said. Even a slight headache or mild upset stomach is enough of a reason to stay home, she said. Those who have tested negative for COVID-19 are asked to still stay at home until they are well to avoid the spread of any illness.

"I don't care how essential you are, stay at home if you are sick," Raimondo said.

All three of the deaths reported Tuesday were nursing home residents, Dr. Alexander-Scott said. Two, a person in their 70s and a person in their 90s, lived at Golden Crest nursing home in North Providence, while the third, a person in their 70s, was a resident at Oak Hill in Pawtucket.

Testing is now available to all Rhode Islanders who need it. Residents can call their doctor for a referral or visit CVS's website to register for an appointment at their rapid test site at Twin River Casino in Lincoln. At this time, there is not a plan to open a drive-through test site on Aquidneck Island, Raimondo said, as the state is first working to maximize efficiency and ramp up testing numbers at the established sites in Warwick, Kingston and Providence.

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This story will be updated