PROVIDENCE – While it has long considered itself in a stage of “high transmission,” Rhode Island is now adopting a new risk assessment model that puts the state at a “low” level for the spread of COVID-19, considering updated metrics such as hospital capacity and admission rates, Gov. Daniel J. McKee announced during a Friday morning press conference.
The R.I. Department of Health COVID-19 Data Tracker now reflects this update, no longer featuring the “high transmission” status in bold red at the top-left of the infographic detailing virus facts from the state.
Federal and State Nursing Home Staffing Mandates
Staffing has always been an ongoing challenge in the long-term care industry. However, since the…
Learn More
In addition to his announcement about updated COVID-19 risk assessment metrics, McKee announced on Friday that child care operations throughout the state are being given more lax protocols for isolation of staff and children. The updated guidelines for child care are meant to minimize disruptions to child care, and to allow parents “to go to work and also to manage their families’ needs,” McKee said.
The new policy allows children and staff who were exposed to someone with COVID-19 to attend child care if they are asymptomatic, as long as they’re vaccinated or recently had COVID-19. Testing for the virus is required if the community where they’re located is in a phase of “high” transmission, and a “monitoring-to-stay” approach if the state is at a “medium” or “low” level, McKee said. However, children and staff who were exposed at home and symptomatic individuals should quarantine at home, according to the new policy.
McKee called these “smart, sound strategies” that will help the state manage COVID-19 it continues to transition from a pandemic to an endemic phase. McKee said the changes were based on new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Under the CDC’s new model, Rhode Island is identified as low community level. This is very good news,” McKee said. “It’s not a surprise to those of us in Rhode Island that have been following this data, but it’s good to see the CDC recognize that where we are today this year and where we were last year at the same time is a world of difference. … Right now, the Department of Health is updating [the] COVID dashboard to reflect this update in a clear and simple way for the public to access.”
McKee referred to case data that shows that COVID-19 has been on the decline since an omicron-fueled surge that occurred in January. The governor said new cases are down by 98% since the January peak, and they’re also down nearly 57% from weeks ago, while hospitalizations have dropped 79% since peaking in mid-January.
McKee was joined at the press conference by R.I. Department of Health Consultant Medical Director Dr. Philip Chan, who said the new guidance’s consideration of hospitalization numbers is more useful and comprehensive at this point, as opposed to the old system that only considered COVID-19 cases per 100,000 persons over the past seven days on a statewide level. Chan said the state may not truly be at a high risk if many cases don’t result in hospitalizations.
“This helps us account for situations where we may see a lot of cases and a relatively lower number of hospitalizations,” Chan said. “Part of what we’re thinking is to make sure to address and keep our hospitals safe because when hospitals become overwhelmed, not only do COVID patients start to die but people also have suboptimal care outcomes for other things.”
The new system accounting for hospital data is more useful, too, he said, because more people are using at-home COVID-19 tests with results that aren’t typically reported to the health department.
“It’s been difficult to keep track of them,” Chan said.
Chan said masking recommendations in the state will be made going forward on a county-by-county basis, based on local transmission assessments.
“For people in counties that are low risk, there are no across-the-board recommendations for masking,” Chan said. “In a county at a medium risk, people who are immunocompromised … should consider masking in certain situations. For people in a high-risk county, we recommend you wear a mask in indoor public settings.”
Marc Larocque is a PBN staff writer. Contact him at Larocque@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter @LaRockPBN.
