Despite Busy Holiday Weekend, RI 'Keeping A Lid' On Coronavirus

NARRAGANSETT, RI — Despite a hot, sunny weekend in Southern New England, Rhode Island's beaches and parks weren't overly crowded, Gov. Gina Raimondo said Wednesday. Although beaches were busy, crowds were mostly distanced and parking lots never reached capacity.

Ahead of the weekend, the governor expressed concerns about a spike in cases if Rhode Islanders gathered in large groups at parties or barbecues, beaches or other public places. Overall, the weekend went well, Raimondo said, reminding residents that Rhode Island could easily be in the same situation as other states with massive spikes in coronavirus cases if everyone does not remain vigilant.

"I want you to stay focused on what's happening here," Raimondo said. "If you look at the data, we continue to trend in the right direction."

Throughout the weekend, Department of Environmental Management employees were stationed at parks and beaches, handing out thousands of masks and asking crowds of people to disperse. This helped increase mask-wearing compliance, she said, which has been spotty at some beaches in past weeks.

"We had a lot on the line this weekend. There is no doubt about it ... By and large, I feel good about what we saw," Raimondo said.

Compared to other states, Rhode Island is in excellent shape when it comes to new coronavirus cases and hospitalizations. On Wednesday, the Rhode Island Department of Health reported just 41 new cases of COVID-19 and two deaths. Both victims were in their 80s, said Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, the department's director.

Hospitalizations are on the decline, as well. As of Wednesday, there were 56 people in the hospital, just five of whom were in an intensive care unit and five on a ventilator.

To help "keep a lid on the virus," the state has implemented several safety measures to allow for safe tourism and summer activities. Anyone coming into the state from a state with a five percent positivity rate or higher will be required to quarantine for 14 days, or get a negative test within 72 hours of arrival. The test can be done at the person's home state or in Rhode Island, though non-residents will be required to pay for a test in Rhode Island out-of-pocket, approximately $100. There are 10 test sites set up around the state aimed towards tourists, Raimondo said. Tests continue to be free of charge for Rhode Island residents.

The quarantine rule is intended for tourists and does not apply to health care workers, those who live out of state but work in Rhode Island and other similar scenarios.

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