RI testing to hopefully paint better picture of coronavirus

PROVIDENCE — In an attempt to get a better picture of how widespread the COVID-19 virus is in Rhode Island, Gov. Gina M. Raimondo has announced that the state has begun the first round of serology (blood) testing in Rhode Island.

During her COVID-19 response briefing last Thursday, Raimondo said the Rhode Island Department of Health mailed letters to 5,000 randomly selected Rhode Islanders across the state inviting them to get both diagnostic (nasal swabs) tests and blood antibody tests at one of seven Stop & Shops across the state, including stores in Pawtucket, Cranston, Newport, North Providence and Providence.

Participation is completely optional and testing information will be secure and confidential, the governor said.

“You will get a letter in the mail. It will invite you to be tested. It is your choice to say yes or no, but I would encourage you to do it,” she said. “We’re not going to force anybody. It is your choice. I hope you do it, but if you can’t do it for any reason that’s okay too.”

Raimondo says Rhode Islanders can go to one of the seven Stop & Shop sites only if they receive a letter in the mail. If

ºtested and the nasal swab test result is positive, RIDOH will call the person and start the contact tracing process. The serology testing is part of what Raimondo called an “early warning system” of testing groups of asymptomatic individuals.

“We want to get a handle on what’s going in communities, schools and college campuses,” she said. “This will give us an early warning signal so that we’re never again behind. If we’ve learned one thing it’s that we can’t get behind this virus. We always have to stay a step ahead.”

Raimondo said the state’s overall coronavirus testing strategy includes making sure everyone with symptoms can get a test within a day.

“That’s the goal,” she said. “Right now were doing about 3,000 of those sorts of tests a day. We also want to be able to react

quickly to an outbreak. Our goal is to be on the scene of an outbreak within four hours so we need to be focused on mobile testing.”

She also talked about how Rhode Island has scaled symptomatic testing in some of the state’s hardest hit communities like Woonsocket and Central Falls, where testing has tripled in capacity.

“The positive tests rates in poorer communities, in dense urban areas, and in immigrant communities, is high so that means we have to do even more testing,” the governor said.

Raimondo said the CDC requires states to do enough testing so that the test-positive rate is below 10 percent.

“We’re there as a state, but we are not there in these communities so we really have to keep an eye on it,” she said. “We’re not out of the woods yet.”

Said Raimondo: “I know from talking to the mayors of Woonsocket and Central Falls that they are concerned about the high rate in those communities and I share that concern. We’re going to continue to test and we’re going to get into those communities until we drive those positive percentages down from 15 to 20 percent to below 10 percent.”

Speaking directly to residents of those hard hit communities, Raimondo said, “Testing is free. If you don’t have insurance we’ll pay for it. It’s easy to do and won’t take more than a couple of minutes. No one is going to ask you about your immigration status. We have places in your community where you can walk over to. Please get tested. If you’re hearing me now and you’re feeling sick go and get your test. It will help you and your family and your whole community.”

Raimondo said the state has created telephone hot-line at 462-4444 where people can get confidential information on testing 24 hours a day.