Raimondo: Can’t forget the virus is still here
Acknowledges recent rallies, protests could result in spike of COVID-19 cases
PROVIDENCE — Calling peaceful protests vital to democracy, Gov. Gina Raimondo says health officials will participate in lawful gatherings to offer demonstrators advice and other resources for reducing the risk of transmitting COVID-19.
Raimondo made the announcement Wednesday during the daily briefing on the pandemic, saying she and Health Director Alexander Scott agree that the spate of rallies – some marred by crimes of violence – heighten the risk of a spike in COVID-19 at the very moment infection and hospitalization rates have clearly plateaued.
Raimondo says those who demonstrated peacefully have a right to do so, but “It doesn’t mean we can forget the virus is still with us.”
“We still have to do everything we can to keep ourselves safe, keep our families safe and prevent a future outbreak,” the governor said.”
Dozens of cities across the country have become stages for mass demonstrations in the wake of the death of George Floyd, a black man, after a white Minneapolis policeman pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck for at least eight minutes, according to most reports. The policeman has since been fired and charged with murder, but Black Lives Matter and other groups have flooded the nation’s streets to protest – lawful events which appear to have opened the door for organized incursions of looting and vandalism by independent actors, which is what the police believe happened in Providence overnight Monday.
Looking forward, Raimondo said, personnel from the Rhode Island Department of Health will be on hand at peaceful demonstrations to distribute informational fliers and face masks. Also, they will “nudge” participants to
“We still have to do everything we can to keep ourselves safe, keep our families safe and prevent a future outbreak.”
—Governor Gina Raimondo
observe proper social distancing and the 15-person limit on gatherings that’s in place for Phase 2 of the reopening of the economy, she said.
“We don’t want you coming and congregating in big crowds,” Raimondo said. “Obviously it’s much safer outdoors than indoors. But do your best to make your voice heard, which is vital, but keep a distance from those around you and don’t show up, please, in a big crowd.”
However, Raimondo said
it is crucial for young people who have regular contact with the elderly and infirm to think twice about participating in a demonstration, or risk bringing home the disease to someone for whom COVID-19 could be deadly.
In order to make themselves plainly visible, Raimondo said the RIDOH personnel would wear marked T-shirts. In addition to offering safety tips, the governor said they will advocate for the use of the Crush Covid RI cell phone app and urge them to keep a written record of their company for contact tracing purposes. They’ll also provide information about self-monitoring for symptoms and where to get tested if they develop them.
The governors’ concerns about a new spike in COVID-19 cases came as she and Dr. Scott reported the latest data on the pandemic, which continues to indicate that the novel coronavirus is in recession. On a pool of 2,824 tests, the state reported 107 new cases, translating into a test-positivity rate of about 5 percent, which the Centers for Disease Control considers safe to continue normalizing economic activity and social mobility.
There were 10 new fatalities in the last day, which brings the toll since the onset of the pandemic to 742 total deaths. The total number of people infected with the disease stands at 15,236.
There were also 189 people in the hospital, including 44 in intensive care units and 30 on ventilators – all data showing an extension of favorable trends.
“Each day our number of total cases understandably goes up a little,” said Dr. Scott. “But when you compare our new cases each day we are absolutely in a plateau.”
While Raimondo offered support for peaceful protesters, she also addressed the threat of violence which has risen alongside the wave of civil disobedience that reached Rhode Island.
She heaped praise on the Rhode Island State Police, the Rhode Island National Guard and multiple municipal police departments for their response to the unrest in Providence and the continuing threat of more violence throughout the state on Tuesday night.
She reassured Rhode Islanders that they’re safe because of the preparedness and professionalism of the Guard and their counterparts in law enforcement. She also thanked President Trump for extending the state’s access to the guard for civilian purposes through Aug. 21.
“Last night was a very peaceful night here in the state of Rhode Island,” the governor said. “It could have been much worse, but it wasn’t because we were prepared. So thank you to every local police officer who was on guard and on duty. In Providence, in Cranston, in Warwick, in Central Falls, in Woonsocket, in Pawtucket. We were prepared.”