No Block Island Mask Mandate For Now: New Shoreham Town Council

NEW SHOREHAM, RI — Before a roomful of local business leaders, the Town Council on Thursday moved toward adopting a mask recommendation instead of a mask mandate on Block Island.

The New Shoreham Town Council only days ago had discussed an ordinance to require indoor face masks at all businesses and public buildings. That move came after reports that 11 people on Block Island, a popular tourist destination, had tested positive for COVID-19 in a two week span.

But during their July 29 meeting, the council shifted gears and instead asked the town solicitor to draft a resolution that would encourage compliance with mask-wearing. The council plans to vote on the new resolution August 2.

The council should "work with businesses one-on-one," said Frank Diabiase III, director of hospitality at the Spring House Hotel. Diabiase, speaking during public session, chastised the council, saying they "impulsively went down the road" without consulting local businesses. Diabiase that the council's earlier discussion had generated "negative news" about Block Island.

He and others in the hospitality industry have strong anti-virus protocols in place for their staff, said Diabiase, one of several to speak against any ordinance that would impose an indoor mask mandate.

Later in the meeting, First Warden Andre Boudreau remarked that dormitories where summer workers live 2-3 to a room are a matter of concern. "Does everyone have a quarantine room and a COVID plan?" he asked. Boudreau said "keeping the positives out of the public realm" is essential.

Asked for an update, New Shoreham Medical Director Dr. Thomas Warcup said that there have been only three additional positive cases in the last week, a number he called a "hopeful sign." He said he had feared the original 11 positive cases would infect others, "but we haven't seen that yet, which is truly remarkable."

The discussion followed new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance encouraging indoor mask-wearing regardless of vaccination status due to spread of the very contagious delta variant of the coronavirus.

The council is set to vote on the resolution encouraging indoor face masks on Monday.