Cranston COVID-19 Field Hospital To Close

CRANSTON, RI — State health officials will close the COVID-19 field hospital at Sockanosset Cross Road in Cranston, Gov. Dan McKee said during a news conference Thursday.

"Due to the high vaccination rates, low hospitalization admissions and the declining impact of the delta variant, the facility is no longer considered necessary," McKee said. "That's a good sign."

The Cranston field hospital reopened in August amid a surge in COVID-19 cases brought on by the delta variant. Prior to its reopening, the facility had been closed since February.

McKee said the state stands prepared to reopen the field hospital in the event new variants make it necessary, but he remained optimistic that Rhode Island is headed in the right direction.

He said 89 percent of Rhode Island residents 18 and older are at least partially vaccinated against COVID-19, and 71 percent of all Rhode Islanders have at least one vaccine dose. McKee said he expects this number to grow when children age 5-11 are approved to get the Pfizer shot, which he said will likely happen sometime in November.

"People in the state of Rhode Island responded in a real strong way by getting vaccinated and following other protocol," McKee said.