7 RI Health Department Staff Test Positive For Coronavirus

RHODE ISLAND — Seven members of the state's Department of Health tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19, despite protocols such as wearing masks and regular temperature checks, health officials announced Saturday.

Health department Director Nicole Alexander said the cases highlight how challenging it can be to keep the coronavirus at bay, despite strict infection control programs.

"This is because people can test positive for COVID-19 and not have any symptoms at all," Alexander said. She said the affected staff were isolating and the department's response effort would not be interrupted as its main building was cleaned.

The announcement came the day after Rhode Island became the first state in New England to lift its stay-at-home order. Gov. Gina Raimondo stressed the need for residents to not gather in large groups, encouraged people to go shopping to help retailers ahead of Mother's Day, and announced relief measures for Rhode Island residents with student loans.

The plan is to go slow and steady to test the state's systems, she told reporters at the state house.

"We are in a stable place," said Raimondo. "It's a tentative place. So we're going to take it slow. I only want to reopen this economy once. I don't want to do fits and starts: open, closed. We're not doing that. The way to do this then is slowly cautiously and following the rules."

On the first day without the stay-at-home order, 19 more people died in connection to the coronavirus in the state, bringing the total number to 418, even as hospitalizations declined. On Saturday 292 people were in the hospital to be treated for the virus, of these 77 were in the ICU, 56 of them were on ventilators, according to Rhode Island health officials.

Food security: Farmers to Families food box program

The Rhode Island federal delegation announced that Farm Fresh RI and the RI Community Food Bank will enable the USDA to fund food boxes. By the end of the month, 500 boxes will be delivered every week, according to the governor. The state hopes to ramp up the number to 4,000 boxes a week during summer and fall, she said.

"This is a win all around" said Raimondo.

Family services of Rhode Island

The organization is now providing home delivery of cleaning supplies and food for some of RI's most vulnerable residents, according to the governor. So far, it has delivered more than 7,000 to people with disabilities, families, older people who can't afford it.

Text 44321 to donate to the effort.

Other things Gov. Raimondo touched on:

• An executive order directing everyone in a public place — whether indoors or outdoors — to wear a cloth face covering went into effect May 8.
• Nursing homes and assisted living facilities still not accept visitors.
• The governor will no longer be giving weekend news conferences. Daily coronavirus updates will continue Monday through Friday.
• She stressed no big gatherings for Mother's Day.
• The Public Utilities Commission voted to extend an order that would mean utilities will not be turned off for anyone during May, if they can't pay electric, gas, water, sewer.
• RI has partnered with Summer, a student loan advisory service, to help students with coming up with a payment plan for student loans.

Reopening RI: Read more

• Reopening Rhode Island: Stay-At-Home Order Ends May 9
• Reopening RI: Regulations Announced For Phase 1 Businesses
• Executive Order To Require Face Coverings In Rhode Island
• Raimondo: Malls To Remain Closed During Phase 1 Of RI Reopen