RI Reopening: Phase 3 Gets Green Light, With Revisions

PROVIDENCE, RI — Gov. Gina Raimondo on Monday gave the go-ahead for the state to move into phase 3 of the economic reopening plan as the spread of the coronavirus in the state has slowed.

"Pat yourself on the back," Raimondo said. "All the inconvenience you've endured by following the rules is absolutely paying off. I am asking you to stick with it. Because of all of the opinions of what we should and shouldn't do, the facts are in, and our approach is working, and we need to stick with it."

Her announcement came amid worrisome signs of increasing coronavirus cases in places like Florida, Texas, Arizona and California, which have closed bars and beaches that had reopened, and have reinstated hospital restrictions.

"I don't want that kind of a setback to be our story," she said. "Let's not let that be the Rhode Island story. I want to keep advancing, advancing, advancing, and we can advance if we follow the rules. But that is a big 'if.' I don't want you to think this is all or nothing. Because it isn't. I never again want to do the lockdown of our economy. There's too many people's livelihoods at risk."

Phase 3, which begins Tuesday, allows for eased restrictions on social gathering limits and the reopening of most businesses in the state. Social gatherings will be limited to 25 people indoors and 50 people outdoors. Those figures are down from 75 and 150, respectively, that were included in the original phase 3 plan.

Weddings will be limited to 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors. Outdoor performances open to the public, such as concerts and small festivals, are allowed with up to 125 people indoors and 250 people outdoors.

"You need to know — small is better, smaller is safer," Raimondo said.

Phase 3 will also allow for the opening of entertainment businesses, such as bowling alleys, movie theaters and museums. Retails stores and indoor restaurants will be able to increase from 50 percent capacity to 66 percent capacity, and competitions will be allowed in certain no-contact and low-contact sports, such as baseball, softball, golf and tennis.

"I do feel it is safe to enter phase 3," she said. "I am confident of it. We will continue to make changes (to phase 3) in the days ahead because the virus is changing."

Phase 3 is expected to last at least through the end of July with "Eventually We'll Land" — a new designation for "phase 4" — the destination when a vaccine or reliable coronavirus therapy is available.

RI had 16 new cases of coronavirus confirmed on Monday and 107 over the past three days. The hospitalization number dropped to 73 — a low since the early days of the coronavirus crisis — with 15 patients in intensive care and 14 on a ventilator.

There were 19 deaths reported over the three days — with all 19 being people age 70 or older, and 16 of the 19 age 80 or older.

Raimondo, who hit a slight pause on Friday when she was expected to announce the beginning of phase 3 because she wanted a few more additional days of data, said the state successfully met all four key targets for advancing to the next phase.

Those include having 70 percent or less of available hospital beds going toward coronavirus patients — she said the number is about 20 percent as of Monday. Having 30 or fewer new hospitalizations per day — she said the number is consistently less than 15. Having the rate of spread at 1.1 or less — she said it was .6 as of Monday. Having hospital rates not doubling faster than every 30 days — said said they are, in fact, declining.

"Four check marks," she said. "Clean bill of health. It's safe to move to phase 3."

Raimondo added travel restrictions in phase that will require 14-day quarantines or a confirmed negative test for anyone traveling from a state with a transmission rate of 5 percent of more. She also said traditional bars can stay open, but can only allowed seated service within the bar, in accordance with phase 2 restrictions.

She issued a "special message" to residents in their 20s who she said are showing increases of positive test rates between 60 and 70 percent since June 1: "We need you to do better. We need you to own your share of responsibility. Care about the rest of us. Care about yourselves, your friends, your family, your mom, your dad, your grandparents and all of the folks in Rhode Island who are still out of work because of this terrible virus."

She asked younger residents to stay out of larger crowds, wear facial coverings, and maintain social distancing.

"Now we have folks coming from out of Rhode Island who are coming here so we need to teach them our way of doing business," she said. "It's on us to educate them, and hold them accountable, to the rules that exist here in the state of Rhode Island."

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