RI Restaurants Closed Amid Community Spread Of Coronavirus

PROVIDENCE, RI — Governor Gina Raimondo took decisive action Monday morning, announcing that all dine-in restaurants, bars and cafes will be closed for the next two weeks. In addition, all gatherings will be limited to just 25 people or fewer and the Providence Place Mall will close indefinitely, starting Tuesday.

The executive order covers all food establishments starting Tuesday until March 30, at which point the policy will be revisited. Drive-through and pickup orders will be allowed. The order will be enforced by the Department of Health, Raimondo said.

"Eating out is not essential. Getting your hair done is not essential," Raimondo said. "This is an order, this is not a suggestion."

The governor appealed directly to hospitality workers, imploring them to stay home from work if they are sick, even a little. The Rhode Island Department of Health will release updated guidance for restaurant workers at another press conference later this afternoon.

Raimondo said she knows this time is difficult for local businesses, especially those who rely on St. Patrick's Day revenue.

"We'll do whatever we can to make it up to you," Raimondo said. "Maybe we can reschedule it for the summer."

When ordering take-out from restaurants, Rhode Islanders are encouraged to pay for orders online or over the phone with a credit card if possible, to prevent repeated face-to-face contact.

Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, the department's Director of Health, said that everyone in the state needs to stay home unless it is absolutely necessary to go out.

"It is critical right now that people not be a part of gatherings of 25 people or more," Dr. Alexander-Scott said. "Refrain from engaging in non-essential activities, particularly where there are crowds. Crowds are what viruses use to spread illness."

This message, in particular, applies to students, who are home from school this week.

"The point of students being home is not to be congregating at the mall and other places," Dr. Alexander-Scott continued. "We are looking to stop the spread of illness, and that can only work with everyone participating."

As of Monday, there is community spread of the virus in Rhode Island, Alexander-Scott said. "Community spread" is defined as having cases of an illness without immediately knowing the source.

"We are starting to see these cases," Alexander-Scott said.

There is one new case in Rhode Island, a woman in her 40s. She is in isolation in the hospital and in stable condition, Alexander-Scott said, and the department is working to determine the source of her transmission.

"We have to act now to keep people healthy and safe," she said. "Everyone has to play their part."

The governor said that while the state is "in good shape" for now when it comes to the supply of protective equipment, she called for the federal government to provide more to ensure there is enough.

"I'm out of patience," she said. "This is not OK how the federal government is responding to this."

Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza, who declared a state of emergency in the city last week, said the Providence Place Mall will close indefinitely, starting Tuesday. He called for all businesses and individuals to do their part, saying that those who violate the executive order are "irresponsible" and endangering the rest of the state, particularly elderly neighbors and family.

More information about lobbies, waiting areas and municipal offices will be provided at another update later this afternoon, Raimondo said, at which point she will say what buildings will be closed and which will remain open.

With so many people out of work as businesses close their doors, there has been a large influx of unemployment insurance claims. Anyone applying for a new claim is asked to fill out a form online and specify that the claim is coronavirus-related. These claims will be expedited to make sure residents get their benefits as soon as possible. Raimondo added that he state will apply for economic disaster loans with federal small business association, which, if approved, will provide small businesses with interest-free loans to cover fixed operating expenses.

Over the weekend, six new cases of the virus were announced on Saturday. On Sunday, Raimondo called for the closure of all childcare centers for the next week, reversing her previous request to keep them open for children of essential workers during the week-long, statewide school closure. An update on the school closure situation is expected Tuesday.

When out in public, Rhode Islanders are urged to take precautions, staying six feet away from others, practicing good cough and sneeze etiquette and washing hands frequently or using alcohol-based hand sanitizer. The following recommendations are also encouraged.

• Get a flu shot, and encourage those around you to do the same. While this will not help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, it is an effective tool to keep people with the flu from developing complications that require hospitalization.
• Keep surfaces, especially bedside tables, bathrooms and children's toys clean by wiping them down with disinfectant.
• Get plenty of sleep, by physically active, manage stress, drink plenty of fluids and eat nutritious foods to maintain good health.
• The CDC does not recommend that otherwise healthy people wear a face mask to protect themselves from respiratory viruses, including the new coronavirus.

If you have questions, reach out to the Rhode Island Department of Health by calling the COVID-19 hotline at 401-222-8022, or 211 after hours, emailing RIDOH.COVID19Questions@health.ri.gov or visiting the department's website. In addition, the state has launched a 24-hour hotline during an anxiety-prone time. Anyone in need of mental health assistance can call 401-415-5565.

Don't miss updates about the latest coronavirus updates in Rhode Island as they are announced. Sign up for Patch news alerts and newsletters.

Read more:

• Coronavirus: Rhode Island Bishop Suspends All Masses
• 'These Measures Will Save Lives': Raimondo On Coronavirus
• Coronavirus In RI: 6 New Cases, Insurance Policies Changed
• Coronavirus In Rhode Island: General Assembly Closed For A Week
• National Grid Suspends Electric, Gas Shutoffs During Coronavirus
• One Of RI's New Coronavirus Cases Is Cranston West Student
• Coronavirus In RI: 9 New Cases, Public Schools Closed