Newport City Council Votes To Not Cancel St. Patrick’s Day Parade

NEWPORT, RI — Newport’s St. Patrick’s Day parade is still on. On Tuesday evening, the City Council voted not to cancel it during an emergency meeting, the parade’s organizers said.

On Tuesday morning, a spokesperson for the city said officials were discussing the event, scheduled for Saturday, with the Rhode Island Department of Health. The final decision was made by the City Council.

On Monday, the city of Boston canceled its annual St. Patrick's Day parade amid concerns of the virus's spread in Massachusetts. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said the decision was made "out of an abundance of caution."

So far, there have been five confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Rhode Island. On Monday, Governor Gina Raimondo declared a state of emergency, saying that while the risk to most Rhode Islanders remains low, the measure makes more resources and funding available.

"We need to take action," Raimondo said at a press conference. "I want every tool at my disposal."

Anyone with questions about the virus can call the Rhode Island Department of Health's hotline at 401-222-8022, visit the website or email RIDOH.COVID19Questions@health.ri.gov.

Both the University of Rhode Island and the Community College of Rhode Island have suspended all international travel until further notice. Students and faculty who are already abroad will be brought home, the university said.

Lifespan has suspended visitation at hospitals around the state, while nursing homes have also restricted visitation in an effort to protect both patients and healthcare workers.

To keep themselves and those around them safe, Rhode Islanders are urged to wash their hands frequently with warm water and soap or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer. The virus is spread through respiratory droplets, so the same preventive measures that are usually encouraged during cold and flu season are recommended. These include:

• 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.
• Cough or sneeze into your elbow rather than a hand or the air.
• Stay home from school or work if sick.
• 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.
• Masks are not recommended for healthy people to avoid getting the virus. Instead, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asks that people with respiratory symptoms wear a mask to avoid spreading them to others.

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