PROVIDENCE – Gov. Gina M. Raimondo on Monday hinted that after her executive order for Phase II expires on June 29, she hopes to start Phase III.
“Until that happens, we are still in Phase II,” said Raimondo, who on June 19 previewed what Phase III would look like.
Phase III would require another executive order from Raimondo in order to begin.
Over the weekend, the R.I. Department of Business Regulations sent inspectors to hundreds of business, focusing mostly on restaurants and gyms, according to the governor.
Of those inspected, about 94% of employees and 90% of customers were wearing masks. However, only 80% of businesses had their COVID-19 Control Plans ready to show inspectors.
Raimondo warned that more inspectors might be needed if businesses cannot comply to the guidelines to reopening the state’s economy for business owners.
Raimondo’s briefing comes as cases of COVID-19 in Rhode Island increased by 122 since the state’s last briefing on June 19, including a 25-case increase on Sunday, the R.I. Department of Health said Monday.
“We are in a good place when it comes to new cases,” said R.I. Department of Health Director Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott. “These numbers haven’t been that low since early April.”
Raimondo said that state parks and beaches were “full houses” over the weekend. Lincoln Woods, Goddard, Colt State Parks reached capacity and had to be closed off. She said state beaches reached capacity by mid-day Saturday with about 25,000 visitors compared to 15,000 on Sunday.
She said the R.I. Department of Environmental Management had to break up large congregations at beaches and reminded beach goers that they must wear a mask at pavilions, restrooms and snack bars.
To date, there have been 16,459 positive cases in the state.
There were nine new fatalities in the state due to the virus since the June 19 briefing, now totaling 903. Of the deaths, two people were in their 50s, one person was in their 70s, two people were in their 80s, three people were in their 90s and one person was older than 100 years old, according to Dr. Alexander-Scott.
Current hospitalizations due to COVID-19 in Rhode Island totaled 106 on Sunday, a decline from 123 as reported in the state’s last briefing prior to the weekend. Of those hospitalized, 18 were in intensive care units and 15 on ventilators.
To date, there have been 1,554 COVID-19 patients discharged from the hospital in Rhode Island.
There were 986 tests conducted on Sunday, making the state positivity rate 2.5%.
Rhode Island passed 200,000 tests over the weekend, which is more than 20% of the state’s population that has been tested.
“That’s No. 1 in America,” said Raimondo.
While highly dense and communities of color have seen higher rates of inspection throughout the crisis in Rhode Island, Dr. Alexander-Scott said the average positivity rate in the three communities of concern have been lower over this past weekend. Central Falls saw an 8% positive rate, Providence had an 8% positive rate and Pawtucket saw a 4% positive rate.
After President Donald Trump’s rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he said that he wants to “slow down” testing, which has now killed nearly 120,000 Americans, Raimondo said that won’t happen in Rhode Island.
“We’re not going to do that,” said the governor. “Here in Rhode Island, it’s full speed ahead on testing.”
This story has been updated to include details from the governor’s press conference.
