Restrictions on some businesses that began late last month to counter a second surge of COVID-19 cases in Rhode Island will be extended one more week, Gov. Gina Raimondo announced Thursday.
Raimondo’s “two-week pause” that began Nov. 30 will now run through Dec. 20, the Democratic governor said at a news conference.
Certain key metrics used to measure the spread of the virus, including the hospitalization rate and the percent positive rate, have not declined as hoped, she said. She also noted that Rhode Island has the highest infection rate per capita in the country, something she attributed in part to the state’s aggressive testing program.
“If we continue to stay at home as much as possible for that week, for next week, I believe it will have the impact that we need,” she said.
Gyms, casinos and other recreational businesses, including bowling alleys, will remain closed another week. Restaurants will remain limited to 33% of indoor seating capacity.
Because the pause has been extended another week, business and unemployment relief programs have also been extended. She said about 1,800 businesses have applied for the program already, and $10 million in relief to 500 businesses is being sent out Friday.
An extra $200 per week in unemployment benefits for workers who have lost their jobs will be extended another week.
When the pause ends, starting Dec. 21, closed businesses will be allowed to open with limited capacity, and restaurants will be allowed to move to 50% capacity, she said.
In other coronavirus news:
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NUMBERS
The Rhode Island Department of Health on Thursday reported 14 more coronavirus-related deaths and 948 new confirmed cases out of nearly 13,600 tests, a daily positivity rate of 7%.
The latest seven-day average positivity rate in Rhode Island has now risen to 8.7% over the past two weeks, according to The COVID Tracking Project. State health departments are calculating positivity rate differently across the country, but for Rhode Island the AP calculates the rate by dividing new cases by test encounters using data from The COVID Tracking Project.
The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Rhode Island has now risen over the past two weeks from more than 915 on Nov. 25 to almost 1,328 on Wednesday.
The 14 deaths brought the state death toll to 1,498 deaths.
There were 466 patients with the disease in Rhode Island hospitals as of Tuesday, the most recent date for which the information was available.
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VACCINE DISTRIBUTION
Some Rhode Islanders could receive Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine as soon as next week, state officials said.
“This to me is really the beginning of the end,” Dr. Philip Chan, consultant medical director with the state Department of Health’s Division of Preparedness, Response, Infectious Disease and Emergency Medical Services, said at the same news conference as Raimondo.
Hospital workers, first responders, and staff and residents of long-term care facilities will be among the first to get the vaccine, officials said Wednesday.
However, it will be months before everyone who wants a vaccine will be able to receive it, officials said.
Health officials also vouched for the efficacy and safety of the vaccines.
Chan said, if offered, he would be first in line for a vaccine.
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REMOTE LEARNING
A major teachers’ union is reiterating its call for a statewide shift to virtual learning as more schools deal with a rise in a coronavirus cases and a shortage of staff for in-person classes.
The National Education Association of Rhode Island’s executive committee called Wednesday for remote learning until at least Jan. 4.
More Rhode Island school districts have already announced a move to virtual learning, including most recently East Providence, Smithfield and Warwick.
Warwick Superintendent Philip Thornton said in an email to the school community that more than 300 students and faculty have either tested positive for the virus or are currently in quarantine.
Raimondo said Thursday it was “shameful” that some districts are going fully remote, when schools are considered safe and there are mental health benefits for children attending in-person classes.
She also announced that starting next month the state will start offering on-site asymptomatic testing at any school that requests it.
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COLLEGE TUITION
Rhode Island College and the Community College of Rhode Island have proposed increasing tuition next year after enrollment dropped during the coronavirus pandemic.
At a meeting of the Postsecondary Council on Wednesday, leaders from the schools requested tuition increases, and the council approved them, WJAR-TV reported.
The state Board of Education will review the increases in a meeting on Thursday and if approved, the increases will go into effect in fall 2021.
CCRI requested a 2.5% increase, which would be around $110 a year, and RIC requested a 5% increase, which is almost $450 a year, the broadcaster reported.
Both schools have seen enrollment drop of 6% to 7% because of the pandemic, they said.
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