Governor: Stay-at-home ends Saturday — 'slowly'
Shops, some parks can reopen but not restaurants, gyms
Rhode Island’s stay-at-home order will indeed end on Saturday, Gov. Gina Raimondo announced at her Thursday briefing, and Phase 1 of the state’s plan to get back to busines will begin.
“We are reopening Rhode Island,” she said, but “we have to go slow.”
The goal is to get people back to work as quickly as possible “without ever jeopardizing our public health” or going backwards in hard-won gains against the virus.
She said the move is finally possible because “I am trusting that people are going to do the right thing and use good judgement. We aren’t going to be able to enforce every bit of people’s behavior.”
A comprehensive list of what will open and what won’t can be found on reopeningri.com, she said — examples are listed below.
Not the best of days
The announcement came on a day that showed another ‘uptick’ in virus numbers from those seen earlier in the week There were 325 new confirmed positive cases — up from around 275 in recent days, along with 18 fatalities over the past 24 hours. COVID-19 has now claimed 388 Rhode Island lives.
Thirteen of those who died were residents of nursing homes; two were residents of the Rhode Island Veterans Home in Bristol.
And the day found 318 people in the hospital because of the virus — 82 in intensive care and 56 on a ventilator. There have been 696 hospital discharges to date.
“We wish it were lower, “ Gov. Raimondo said, calling the day's news a bit of a bomb. She said the day's numbers are a reflection of the fact that we are making every effort to test at-risk communities.
Triggers met
We can begin to reopen, the governor said, “because we have met all of the triggers to do so safely.
Those triggers include:
• A 14-day downward trend in cases — based on a three-day average, new cases are 95 fewer (25 percent) per day than two weeks ago.
• A 14-day downward trend in hospitalizations — five fewer than two weeks ago (a 15 percent reduction).
• We are now able to check all people who feel ill within 48 to 72 hours.
• All Rhode Island communities now have access to testing.
• The state must be able to meet the needs of those in quarantine or isolation — “Check.”
• Hospitals must have at least 30 percent of ICU beds available — that number is now at 35 percent, the governor said, with field hospitals also on standby.
• Protective medical gear must be available. Hospitals now have over a month’s supply of masks and shields, although gowns are ”still a struggle.”
• Appropriate guidelines have been established for workplaces.
The governor said she and the director of the state Department of Health spoke by phone this morning with Dr. Deborah Birx in Washington DC and “she was frankly very complimentary” with our systems and testing, and supportive of this next step.
“We have utterly rebuilt the system from scratch to enable us to go back to work safely. You should start to regain your confidence,”Gov. Raimondo said.
What changes Saturday
“What is it (Phase 1) going to look like? Frankly not very different from what it looks like right now,” the governor said.
Highlights include:
• “If you can work from home, work from home” but offices may ask people to return to work if necessary according to the guidelines on reopeningri.com.
“We are still not going to congregate,” the governor said. Gatherings remain limited to five people at least until May 22, and “this is not the time to expand your social network.”
• Non-critical retail stores can reopen within capacity limits — “Don’t crowd, limit your browsing.”
• Those with health needs may visit with their doctor — “It all depends on what your doctor recommends.”
• Hospitals will be resuming required but non-emergency procedures. “They are going to go slowly, cautiously.”
• There will be more opportunities to go outside. The RIDEM website lists parks that will reopen starting Saturday with limited parking.
• Churches may reopen to groups of five or fewer people — this enables conducting small services that can then be streamed on-line.
• Funerals can be attended by a maximum of ten people — safely distanced.
What isn’t changing — yet
A number of orders will remain in place at least through May 22, the governor said.
• Restaurants, bars and cafes will remain closed for dine-in service, but the governor said she hopes to allow limited outdoor dining soon.
One change is that, in addition to wine and beer, mixed drinks in sealed containers may now be sold with takeout orders. By all means, the governor said, order some take-out if you can and give a generous tip.
• Recreation and entertainment businesses including movie theaters, bowling alleys, concert venues, museums, zoos and more remain closed through May 22.
• Contact businesses such as hair salons, barber shops and tattoo parlors remain closed through May 22.
• Anyone coming to Rhode Island from another state for a non-work related purpose must self quarantine for 14 days through at least May 22. Not included in that order are people who cross state lines to visit a doctor or purchase necessities like groceries.
• Anyone coming into Rhode Island from another country must self-quarantine for at least 14 days — order extended to June 5.
• Gyms remain closed — in response to a question, the governor said she is looking into whether smaller fitness studios might be considered differently than larger gyms.
Unemployment more lucrative than work
Gov. Raimondo was asked whether she is concerned that a number of people are declining to return to work because they can make more money by remaining unemployed (due to the additional $600 weekly in federal unemployment money.)
“It’s an issue,” the governor replied. She said she wants to tread lightly because the various forms of federal assistance have been helpful getting people back on their feet, but she said it is a problem when companies can’t get workers back.
“I’d say, do the right thing,” and keep in mind that that $600 has an end date. “In the long run you are going to want your job back.”
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