UPDATED: Raimondo Declares State of Emergency to Combat Coronavirus
Tuesday, March 10, 2020
Governor Gina Raimondo has declared a state of emergency in Rhode Island.
Raimondo has announced a series of emergency regulations to assist employers and displaced or impacted workers.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST"I’m also calling on President Trump to declare a federal disaster and provide additional relief to anyone out of work," said Raimondo.
"This isn’t a time for panic — the risk for the average Rhode Islander remains low — but it is time for action," she said.
The declaration allows the State to access additional resources to supplement its robust response to COVID-19. In addition, today the Governor, Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT), and Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) announced a series of new COVID-19 preparedness and response measures to support employers, employees, and nursing homes throughout the state.
DLT is filing an emergency regulation to expand access to the Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI)/Temporary Caregiver Insurance (TCI) programs to better serve Rhode Islanders impacted by COVID-19. The emergency regulations will:
Waive the seven-day waiting period for regular unemployment insurance claims and claims filed under the short-term compensation program (WorkShare).
Waive the seven-day minimum amount of time that claimants must be out of work to qualify for TDI/TCI benefits.
Waive the required medical certification for individuals under quarantine (and allow them, instead, to temporarily qualify via self-attestation that they were under quarantine as a result of COVID-19).
Nursing homes are now:
Limiting when visitors can enter,
Not admitting visitors who are younger than 18 years of age,
Only allowing residents to leave for medical appointments, and
Actively screening visitors, staff, vendors, entertainers, and anyone else who enters for illness and recent travel history. (People who are ill or have traveled internationally in the last 14 days will not be allowed to visit.)
In special circumstances, exceptions can be made from this policy, given the importance of mental and emotional health to the overall wellness of older adults. Families should work with nursing home administrators regarding special circumstances. RIDOH is partnering with Rhode Island’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman, Kathy Heren, in supporting nursing homes.
"There are still 3 confirmed cases — 53 people tested negative — and tests pending for 6 people," said Alexander Scott. "There are currently 290 people are self-quarantining."
"We have to take steps now to prevent the spread of COVID-19 -- with a particular focus on the elderly," she said.
"People who are older than 60 years of age should refrain from close contact with people who are sick -- and they should pay attention to potential COVID-19 symptoms -- fever, coughing, shortness of breath," she said.
"The goal is to keep sick people out of nursing homes. They are limiting when visitors can enter facilities, allow residents to leave for necessary medical visits and actively screening visitors for illness," said Alexander Scott.
"[This has to be] someone stationed at the entrance and asking questions of anyone coming in the door," she said, adding that nursing homes that could not comply would have to close the facility to visitors until a plan is put in place.
She added that exceptions can be made in extenuating circumstances.
This story was first published 3/9/20 4:55 PM
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