PROVIDENCE — The state is expanding its symptomatic testing for COVID-19 to include restaurant workers and bus drivers, Gov. Gina Raimondo announced at a news briefing Friday, June 12.

“This is a big one,” the governor said.

When asked if other types of drivers — such as Lyft or taxi drivers — would also be urged to get tested, Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, director of the R.I. Department of Health (RIDOH), said the state is “focusing on public transit at this point.”

She and Gov. Raimondo also announced 10 more COVID-19-related deaths in Rhode Island. Three of the deceased were in their 60s, three in their 70s, one in their 80s and three in their 90s. There were also 84 additional positive tests (see story at left).

Before Friday’s addition of bus drivers and restaurant workers to the list of those who should get tested, the governor had announced testing for “close-contact” workers such as hair stylists, child care workers, or people who work in a gym.

“If you are in one of those industries, please go get yourself tested, even if you don’t feel sick,” she said, adding the tests are free and are offered at Rhode Island College or the Community College of Rhode Island, which are staffed by the National Guard. “These guys are pros. I got tested just the other day. It did not hurt.”

However, although the state has the capacity to do 900 symptomatic tests a day, only about 400 are being carried out, said the governor, who wants to ratchet that number up. Workers can sign up for a test at portal.ri.gov or by calling RIDOH at 401/222-8022.

The governor has outlined a three-part approach to testing called SOS: 

• S: Symptomatic testing for people who feel sick. They should call their doctor and get tested right away. Results will be ready within a few days

• O: Outbreak testing and quarantining.

• S: Surveillance testing, or a “constant testing of people who don’t have symptoms, just to get a feel of the prevalence of the virus.” Although testing is more accurate if one has symptoms, “some information is better than no information,” Gov. Raimondo said. “That will allow us to get ahead of it before there’s an outbreak.”

Serology testing

Dr. Alexander-Scott announced the results of a small number of serology COVID-19 tests that indicate disparities according to racial makeup. 

A serology test determines whether someone had antibodies to the virus in their system, which indicates whether they were previously exposed to COVID-19. The state randomly selected 500 households and offered the tests on a voluntary basis. 

According to the test results, 8.2 percent of Latinos seem to have been exposed to the virus. About 5.2 of African-Americans tested positive, while only about 1 percent of Caucasians did, she said. Overall, 2.2 percent of those who took the test showed indications of being exposed to COVID-19, she said.

“It’s clear a lot more work must be done when it comes to disparities,” Dr. Alexander-Scott said.

However, she said the state doesn’t know enough about the serology test in order to analyze the data to the point where the information will have useful results.

“We are not yet ready to recommend it at the individual level,” she said.

Housing challenge

Gov. Raimondo announced the launch of a new initiative, the Housing Now Campaign, to help those Rhode Islanders who qualify for housing vouchers but are unable to find landlords willing to rent to them. It’s a partnership between the state, United Way and the R.I. Realtors Association.

“This pandemic has hit you the hardest,” said the governor, referring to the poor, the homeless, and people who are housing-insecure. “I know it’s been really hard. It’s hard to put food on your table, hard to take care of your kids, hard to keep a roof over your heads.”

At the same time, she said, landlords have been telling her it’s also a difficult time to rent a vacant unit. The campaign is aimed at being a “win-win” for both sides, Gov. Raimondo said.

She’s challenging landlords to pledge at least 100 rental units by July 1 for people with housing vouchers. “Homelessness, especially during this crisis, is really is a matter of life and death,” she said.

Under the plan, any landlord who honors the agreement will receive a $2,000 “signing bonus” for the first rental, plus $500 for every additional unit. The campaign will also offer up to $2,000 a unit to support minor upgrades. 

To learn more, she said, call 211.

A few weeks ago, the governor announced a $5 million initiative for more affordable housing.

Wedding guidelines

During the question-and-answer portion of the briefing, the governor was asked why Phase 2 of the economic reopening allowed restaurants to “get creative” in allowing indoor and outdoor dining — the latter at 50 percent capacity — while big weddings were still not permitted.

“We’ve debated this endlessly,” she said. “There’s a difference between allowing 50 percent capacity at a restaurant, which may be 100 people, but they’re not people who know each other, so they’re not mingling with each other.” 

At a large wedding, however, most people want to be close to each other, the governor said.

“I know that’s unsatisfying, but it is what it is,” said Gov. Raimondo, adding she’s meeting with other governors on Tuesday to find out what they’re doing in their states.

Students all together?

Now that the R.I. Department of Education has put together a common school calendar for each district that calls for an Aug. 31 start, a reporter asked whether the governor’s vision was to have all students in school at the same time, or implement a daily or weekly on/off system.

Gov. Raimondo said the goal is to have every student attend school together. “If we stay on the trajectory that we are on now, we are able to do that.” 

Transparency portal

The governor also announced a new website — transparency.ri.gov/covid-19 — that will provide a full accounting of how $1.25 billion in federal emergency COVID-19 stimulus funds are being spent in Rhode Island.

“At this point, only a handful of other states have done this. Everyone deserves to know how their tax dollars are being spent,” Gov. Raimondo said.

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