Governor Gina M. Raimondo today made several announcements about the state's response to the COVID-19 crisis.
• Domestic Travel: Starting today, Rhode Island will have highway signs directing all out-of-state drivers to pull over at information stations on the southern border with Connecticut. State police will ensure that anyone planning to stay in Rhode Island knows that they're required to quarantine for 14 days. National Guard members will ask drivers to provide their contact information to be passed on to the Department of Health.
• Child Care: Effective tomorrow, the state is suspending all childcare licenses until April 4. Rhode Island has partnered with Care.com to increase childcare access to Rhode Islanders. In addition to providing 90 days of free, premium access to their website, Care.com has created portals specifically for frontline workers and caregivers in Rhode Island. Starting today, frontline workers looking for child care can visit www.care.com/rineed to find a local caregiver. Rhode Island residents interested in becoming caregivers can visit www.care.com/rigive to register. Potential caregivers are subject to Care.com's extensive background and safety checks. While child care services are not typically free of charge, the Rhode Island portal gives residents the ability to waive their fees and volunteer as caregivers, providing additional support to frontline workers.
• Medicaid: Rhode Island Medicaid will be suspending all terminations and quarterly income verifications for the duration of this emergency.
• DMV: Rhode Islanders will have a 90-day extension on expirations for March or April. This goes beyond the original 30-day extension announced weeks ago and will apply to all licenses, registrations, inspections, permits, and temporary plates.
The Governor announced today that Rhode Island has 55 additional cases of COVID-19. This brings Rhode Island's case count to 294.
Data
Rhode Island COVID-19 data is available online. • Number of Rhode Island COVID-19 positive (including presumptive positive) cases: 294 • Number of Rhode Islanders who had negative test results: 2,840 • Number of people who are currently instructed to self-quarantine in Rhode Island: approximately 1,000.
Distribution of Rhode Island COVID-19 patients by city/town of residence: • Barrington – 6 • Bristol – 5 • Burrillville – 7 • Central Falls – fewer than 5 • Charlestown – fewer than 5 • Coventry – 6 • Cranston – 31 • Cumberland – 8 • East Greenwich – fewer than 5 • East Providence – 13 • Exeter – fewer than 5 • Foster – fewer than 5 • Glocester – fewer than 5 • Hopkinton – fewer than 5 • Jamestown – fewer than 5 • Johnston – 7 • Lincoln – fewer than 5 • Little Compton – fewer than 5 • Middletown – 6 • Narragansett – fewer than 5 • New Shoreham – 0 • Newport – 6 • North Kingstown – 8 • North Providence – fewer than 5 • North Smithfield – fewer than 5 • Pawtucket – 14 • Portsmouth – fewer than 5 • Providence – 63 • Richmond – 0 • Scituate – fewer than 5 • Smithfield – 5 • South Kingstown – 8 • Tiverton – 5 • Warren – fewer than 5 • Warwick – 16 • West Greenwich – 0 • West Warwick – 6 • Westerly – 6 • Woonsocket – fewer than 5
Please note that determination of some places of residence are still pending.
Number of Rhode Island COVID-19 patients who are currently hospitalized: 35