PROVIDENCE – Gov. Gina M. Raimondo announced new plans to help small businesses reopen as the state moves further into the first phase of mending from the ongoing coronavirus shutdown.
Raimondo said the state is looking to reach out to the smaller businesses in the state, with less than 50 employees, to receive surgical masks and vouchers for disinfectant at Ocean State Job Lot starting next week. The supplies that will be provided by the state should be about a month’s worth, according to Raimondo.
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In addition, the Governor said Microsoft donated 500 laptops, which will be given to businesses of 25 or fewer employees that apply for one on the R.I. Commerce Corp. website in English or Spanish. Applications are due by May 26.
In order to be considered for the supplies or a laptop, she said that businesses must completed its COVID-19 control plan.
The template, which can be found on reopeningri.com, must be completed by Monday for all businesses in the state , including those that closed and plan to reopen as well as businesses that remained open throughout the shutdown. Control plans do not need to be submitted to the state but must be retained on the premises of the business and will be required to be made available to the R.I. Department of Health in the event of an inspection or outbreak.
As the stay-at-home advisory was lifted over the weekend, the governor said she encourages people to start rescheduling doctor’s appointments and visiting businesses that are open safely, but that this virus will not go away anytime soon.
“We will be living with this virus until there’s a vaccine. No matter how you cut it, we will be living with this for months,” said Raimondo, as she emphasized that testing remains an important pillar.
Deaths due to COVID-19 in the state increased by 18 day to day, with 221 new cases, the R.I. Department of Health said on Wednesday. R.I. Health Director Nicole Alexander-Scott said the ages of deaths ranged from people in their 50s to those in their 90s, with the majority in their 70s and 80s.
The state has reported a total of 462 deaths related to COVID-19 and 11,085 cases.
There are 269 people hospitalized due to the virus in the state, a decline from 277 one day prior. Of those hospitalized, 68 are in intensive care units (a decline from 72 one day prior), with 48 on ventilators (a decline of five day to day).
The state conducted 2,683 tests on Tuesday, bringing the total to 97,922.
The following municipalities have the highest positive test results for the virus as of Tuesday:
- Providence: 3,770
- Pawtucket: 1,133
- Cranston: 658
- Central Falls: 630
- North Providence: 595
- East Providence: 569
Per 100,000 residents, Central Falls had the highest rate of COVID-19 cases in the state at 3,250, followed by Providence at 2,101 and North Providence at 1,833.
The City of Woonsocket announced plans on Tuesday to make Thundermist Health Center a local host for a new drive-thru and walk-up testing site. Their expanded clinic will be located at 450 Clinton Street. Woonsocket officials said there will be no out-of-pocket cost for testing, and you do not need to be a patient at the Center, but will have to make an appointment.
She said that overall as a state, there is a less than 10 percent positive rate from tests, but not in more dense communities or large communities of color. Raimondo said she has heard concerns regarding people’s fear of being tested because they do not have insurance or are undocumented immigrants.
“No one is going to ask you about your immigration status,” assured Raimondo. “Testing is free.”
This story has been updated to include details from the governor’s press conference.
