PROVIDENCE – State parks will be among the first recreational areas to reopen once Rhode Island’s stay at home order is lifted, Gov. Gina M. Raimondo said Friday.
Beaches are included in the second phase of the state’s reopening plan, Raimondo said during her daily press briefing, but will most likely be open around Memorial Day.
Redefining Higher Education: The Strategic Imperative of a Three-Year Bachelor’s Degree
For over a century, the structure of undergraduate education has remained largely unchanged—typically requiring four…
Learn More
Child care centers are on a similar trajectory, with June 1 as the target date for many to reopen, provided they are able to comply with new restrictions aimed at protecting kids and staff from the potential spread of COVID-19.
Cases of the virus increased by 341 day to day, to 8,962, with 13 more deaths, the R.I. Department of Health said on Friday.
The total number of fatalities in the state related to the new coronavirus is up to 279. One person who died was in their 30s, and the other ranged in age from their 50s to older than 100, R.I. Health Director Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott said.
There are 352 people hospitalized, an increase from 339 one day prior.
Of those hospitalized, 76 are in intensive care units, including 51 on ventilators. The state has seen 485 COVID-19-related hospital discharges to date.
Although cases, hospitalizations and deaths from the virus continue to rise, Raimondo said she is hopeful that she will be able to let the stay at home order to expire on May 8 and move into the first phase of relaxing restrictions on businesses and social gatherings.
“We seem to have hit a plateau, that’s definitely good news,” she said, adding, “We’re still not in a decline, which I wish we were… It’s clear that we’re not out of the woods.”
Raimondo noted that stay at home orders in surrounding states, including Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey have been extended.
“This is not a foregone conclusion,” she cautioned.
Officials continue to examine COVID-19 case numbers and hospitalizations, testing capabilities, particularly for densely populated areas and nursing and group homes, and the ability of Rhode Island’s health care system to deal with a sudden surge of patients, the governor said.
If all goes as planned, Lincoln Woods, Haines, Snake Den, Beavertail and Fort Adams state parks will be among the first to reopen. Visitors can expect to find limited parking, and enforcement of social distancing guidelines, Raimondo said.
While child care centers are also on track to open back up this spring, facilities will have a series of new guidelines to follow, the governor said. Centers have been asked to submit reopening plans to the Department of Human Services by May 22, and health authorities are aiming to give the green light on June 1.
New requirements include setting up groups of 10 or fewer kids, no interaction with other groups, changes to the way staff members interact with children, stringent cleaning plans and health screenings, Raimondo said.
Child care providers in the Child Care Assistance Program will see temporary rate raises to help cover extra expenses, the governor said.
Hospitals, too, are moving toward resuming more routine services.
Raimondo said she expects to allow some hospitals to resume elective surgeries and noncritical procedures next week or the following week.
Hospitals did not perform certain surgeries or procedures such as tests while preparing for the pandemic and have lost millions in revenue as a result. Emergency room visits are down as well.
“If you’re sick and you need urgent health care, if it’s truly an emergency go to the emergency room,” Raimondo urged. “Make sure you get the health care you need.”
Rhode Island tested 2,938 people for COVID-19 on Thursday, bringing the state testing total to 66,648.
The following municipalities had the most positive test results:
- Providence: 2,840
- Pawtucket: 861
- Cranston: 522
- North Providence: 477
- Central Falls: 449
This story has been updated to include details form the governor’s press conference.
