PROVIDENCE – Restaurants, offices, catered events and performance venues all will soon have additional flexibility to attract business and patrons, according to Gov. Daniel J. McKee and public health officials Friday.
Effective immediately, restaurants can space tables closer together, narrowing them to a six-foot separation, and allow people who are eating at the bar by 11 p.m. to remain there until midnight.
Beginning March 19, restaurants in the state can admit up to 75% capacity indoors.
In addition, also starting March 19, professionally catered events, such as weddings and galas, can have up to 100 people indoors and up to 200 outdoors. State officials had previously said they would allow up to 150 people at these outdoor events beginning in April, but that maximum has been increased and will be effective this month.
Such events are currently capped at 50 indoors.
Other relaxation of business restrictions relate to garden shops, offices, retail stores and performing arts venues.
- Effective immediately, garden shops will have no capacity limits on outdoor areas, said R.I. Commerce Secretary Stefan Pryor.
In addition, the following changes will take place March 19:
- Catered events, including weddings, may allow dancing under certain conditions, which will be made clear in the coming days.
- Churches and other houses of worship can allow up to 75% of their capacity.
- Small and medium retail stores can admit up to one person per 50 square feet. “Big Box” stores can admit one person for every 100 square feet.
- Gyms can allow one person per 50 square feet. They are currently restricted to one person per 100 square feet.
- Funeral homes can admit up to 50% of their capacity.
- Hair stylists and salons can admit up to one person for 50 square feet.
- Theaters, performing arts centers and other venues can allow 50% capacity up to 250 people indoors, and up to 500 people outdoors.
- Offices can allow 50% capacity. They are currently capped at 33% capacity for staff.
- Social gatherings, including parties, currently are limited to two households indoors. Effective March 19, they can have up to 15 unrelated people indoors and up to 50 people outdoors.
The loosening of business restrictions comes as the state continues to see increased vaccination rates and a low-threshold of infection – it now has about 2% positivity on tests – according to Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, the R.I. Department of Health director.
Beginning Friday, the state opened vaccine eligibility to all Rhode Islanders aged 60 and older, and to people aged 16 to 64 who have certain health conditions that put them at risk for severe COVID-19. All other previously authorized groups, including educators and childcare workers, also can continue to seek appointments.
The state has administered about 350,000 doses of vaccine, and 10 percent of Rhode Islanders are now fully vaccinated, she said. Rhode Island is now receiving about 48,000 doses a week, and expects to receive more in the weeks ahead, under a federal push to expand the flow into states. The state has the capacity to administer 100,000 doses a week, according to Alexander-Scott.
On Thursday night, President Joe Biden said he planned to direct states to make all adults eligible for the vaccine by May 1. McKee, asked about that timeline, said that’s Rhode Island’s goal too.
“The absolute goal is to open it up,” he said.
Some states are opening up businesses now, but Rhode Island is pursuing an incremental approach that will add business flexibility based on public health data, McKee said. In the near future, he said the state would realign its metrics to place more emphasis on vaccination percentages in the state, rather than hospitalization data.
Mary MacDonald is a staff writer for the PBN. Contact her at macdonald@pbn.com.
