Because of the wind and heavy rain forecast for Monday, all outdoor COVID-19 testing sites in Rhode Island will be closed, including:

• URI in South Kingstown
• CCRI in Warwick
• Rhode Island College in Providence
• Rhode Island Hospital in Providence
• Kent Hospital in Warwick
• Newport Hospital in Newport
• Westerly Hospital in Westerly
• CVS Rapid Testing Site in Lincoln
• Respiratory Clinics with outdoor tents.

Anyone with an appointment for Monday will be automatically rescheduled to Tuesday at the same time. 

Over the weekend, Rhode Island saw 650 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and 14 deaths. The total number of confirmed cases in the state is now 2,665. There were 201 people in the hospital Sunday afternoon, with 50 of those in intensive care. At this point, more than 20,000 people have been tested in Rhode Island. East Greenwich still has 8 confirmed cases. 

Of the people who died, two were in their 60s, two were in their 70s, two were in their 80s, and one was in their 90s. Find the most recent data HERE.

Gov. Gina Raimondo took Sunday off from her daily COVID-19 press conferences, but on Saturday, she toured two of the state’s three field hospitals, the Convention Center in Providence and the former Citizens Bank building in Cranston. 

“I was blown away by what I saw,” she said, called the work that’s being done there “nothing short of heroic.” 

Gov. Gina Raimondo at her briefing Saturday on COVID-19 in Rhode Island, with Heath Dept. Dir. Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, left, and Brett Smiley, director of administration, right. Pool photo by Sandor Bodo / Providence Journal

A variety of workers are pulling 12-hour shifts and work is proceeding 24 hours a day. Raimondo said they are squeezing six months of work into three to four weeks “with great detail and great care.”

The hospitals will be run by Lifespan and Care New England and the first one – at the Convention Center – could be ready in two weeks and she didn’t foresee needing it sooner than that based on current hospital capacity. 

Because nursing homes have been such a focal point of COVID-19 cases, not just here in Rhode Island but around the country, Dept. of Health’s Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott Saturday reiterated the need to keep traffic in and out of nursing homes to an absolute minimum. 

For that reason, she urged people not to send packages to loved ones in nursing homes, since  packages require someone to deliver them. 

“Every time a new person comes into a nursing home bringing a package that you’ve sent, that is another risk of new infection,” said Alexander-Scott. She said she knew it was a stern message but it was necessary since nursing home residents are so vulnerable. 

She also said family members should not try to see their loved ones by camping out by windows. Sometimes, those windows are getting opened and conversations are happening, breaking down protections. Read about how EG’s nursing home and assisted living facilities are handling COVID-19 HERE.

Find the R.I. Dept. of Health’s full Sunday press release here: 

Because of the wind and heavy rain forecast for Monday, April 13th, all outdoor coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing sites in Rhode Island will be closed tomorrow. This includes testing sites at:

• URI in South Kingstown; • CCRI in Warwick; • Rhode Island College in Providence; • Rhode Island Hospital in Providence; • Kent Hospital in Warwick; • Newport Hospital in Newport; • Westerly Hospital in Westerly • CVS Rapid Testing Site in Lincoln; and • Respiratory Clinics with outdoor tents.

Healthcare providers should not make any additional appointments for Monday, April 13th. Any patient with an existing appointment for Monday, April 13th, will be automatically rescheduled to Tuesday, April 14th, at the same time.

COVID-19 Data Update:

The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) is announcing 316 new cases of COVID-19. This brings Rhode Island’s count to 2,665. RIDOH is also announcing seven additional COVID-19 associated fatalities. These people were in their 60s (two people), 70s (two people), 80s (two people), and 90s (one person). Rhode Island’s number of COVID-19 associated fatalities is now 63. Currently, 201 COVID-19 patients are hospitalized in Rhode Island. A full data summary for Rhode Island is posted online at https://health.ri.gov/data/covid-19

Key messages for the public:

• Anyone who is sick should stay home and self-isolate (unless going out for testing or healthcare).
• The people who live with that person and who have been in direct close contact with that person should self-quarantine for 14 days. Direct close contact means being within approximately 6 feet of a person for a prolonged period.
• Help is available for people living in quarantine or isolation due to COVID-19. Visit www.RIDelivers.com for connections to groceries, home supplies, restaurants, and mutual aid groups. People can also call 2-1-1.
• When people are in public, they should wear a cloth face covering. A cloth face covering is a material that covers the nose and mouth. It could be sewn by hand or improvised from household items such as scarves, T-shirts, or bandanas.
• Groups of more than five people should not be gathering. Always avoid close personal contact with other people in public.
• Healthcare workers should not be going to work if they are sick (even with mild symptoms).
• People who think they have COVID-19 should call their healthcare provider. Do not go directly to a healthcare facility without first calling a healthcare provider (unless you are experiencing a medical emergency).
• People with general, non-medical questions about COVID-19 can visit www.health.ri.gov/covid, write to [email protected], or call 401-222-8022. This is the COVID-19 Hotline that RIDOH has available to the public.
• Everyone can help stop the spread of viruses in Rhode Island. – Get your flu shot, and make sure the people around you do the same. – Wash your hands often throughout the day. Use warm water and soap. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. – Cough or sneeze into your elbow. – Stay home and do not leave your house if you are sick, unless it is for emergency medical care. – Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs spread this way.

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