PROVIDENCE – The state is at a “critical medical crossroads in this pandemic” due to a low booster shot rate as life-threatening COVID-19 infections are on the rise, according to the head of the Rhode Island Medical Society. But the organization is not calling on Gov. Daniel J. McKee to reestablish an indoor mask mandate, although doctors belonging to the group said they would support it.
“I’m not one to tell the governor what to do. He has taken a thoughtful and measured approach to this [pandemic],” said Dr. Elizabeth Lange, president of the Rhode Island Medical Society.
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“It’s not so much about laws as about doing the right thing,” added Dr. Tom Bledsoe, president-elect of the organization.
The Rhode Island Medical Society held a press briefing on Tuesday morning calling on residents of the state to voluntarily mask up when indoors around other people, and to also get their booster shots. The press briefing took place a day before McKee said that he will announce “comprehensive actions to address increase in COVID-19 cases” and to “alleviate pressure on the hospital system.”
Lange warned that the state is effectively only 30% vaccinated against COVID-19 and all of its variants, due to the relatively low amount of booster shots going into arms, compared to the 76% of eligible people who have received their initial series of doses.
Lange and other local doctors said they’re worried about upcoming holidays gatherings due to a rising COVID-19 infection rate in Rhode Island, with a high transmission rate since August and a 189% increase in infections during the past week, along with 2,500 new cases and 12 additional deaths over the weekend alone.
Asked why they weren’t following suit with the Massachusetts Medical Society, which is calling on Gov. Charlie D. Baker to institute a mask mandate, several Rhode Island doctors on Tuesday said they would support such a measure. But they don’t want to tell McKee what to do, and the doctors said that citizens should voluntarily want to protect each other by masking up at stores and other indoor gathering places. Lange added that studies show that mask mandates help support the economy, making consumers feel safer to go out and shop.
“Our point today is to speak to the citizens and the patients,” Lange said. “We certainly support any political decisions that help support prevention and detection. … Take the politics out of this and talk about the medicine. We look forward to the governor and the Department of Health following the medicine and the science as well.”
Members of the Rhode Island Medical Society applauded Baker in Massachusetts for recently announcing that he would be sending 2.1 million free COVID-19 test kits to 102 high-need communities. Bledsoe said the high costs of test kits in Rhode Island and throughout the country have been a roadblock to keep communities safe.
“Widespread testing is critically important,” Bledsoe said. “It isn’t pretty when getting (test kits) from the drug store. For some people that is a barrier. … If there are folks in Rhode Island who are unable to afford the test, a significant strategy is to get them the test at a lower minimum cost.”
Lange recommended wearing double-layered face masks to best prevent the spread of COVID-19, in addition to getting vaccinated, getting booster shots, undergoing testing before and after traveling and ventilating gathering spaces. Lange said that she’s alarmed by the small amount of people who she sees wearing masks at local stores, claiming that only 24% of state residents are wearing masks indoors in public.
“COVID is not done with us,” she said.
Marc Larocque is a PBN staff writer. Contact him at Larocque@PBN.com.
