R.I. may open some state parks May 9 and beaches around Memorial Day

The state won’t reopen beaches during the first phase, she said, but beaches will open as part of the second phase, which could coincide with the Memorial Day weekend.

“I hope that provides you with a glimmer of hope,” Raimondo said. While people can’t rush to the beach or park tomorrow, she said, "We are going to get there. Start now thinking of a nice day on the beach, and that will get you through a dreary day like today when you are stuck in your house.”

The governor made that announcement as the state Department of Health reported that 13 more Rhode Islanders have died from the coronavirus, and another 341 residents have tested positive for COVID-19. That brings the state death toll to 279, and the total number of positive tests to 8,962.

The state now has 352 people hospitalized with the virus, 76 in intensive care units, and 51 on ventilators, according to the Department of Health.

Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, director of the health department, said the 13 new fatalities include one person in their 30s, one in their 50s, four in their 70s, five in their 80s, one in their 90s, and one person older than 100.

Alexander-Scott said the number of new cases reflects expanded testing, but the state is seeing decreases in the number of people on ventilators and in intensive care units.

“We seem to have hit a plateau, and that is definitely good news," Raimondo said. “We are still not in a decline, but we will take the plateau.”

She noted that other states, including Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York, have extended their “stay at home” orders.

But, she said, “From everything I see now, if we continue to stay on the path that we’re on now -- which is to say a plateauing, and maybe even a decline -- then it is my intention to let that ‘stay at home’ order expire on May 8,” she said.

Raimondo emphasized that lifting the “stay at home” order on May 9 is not a foregone conclusion.

“We know the data and plateauing is extremely sensitive to the behavior of Rhode Islanders,” she said. “If everybody congregates in the park, and people start to sneak back into their offices, and we don’t wear our masks, then it’s almost certainly the case that I’ll have to do what other governors are doing and extend our ‘stay at home’ order.”

She said she does not want to do that. "Too many people are struggling and out of work,” she said. “Please hang in there a little longer.”

Raimondo said she plans to bring the economy back online gradually. “It’s not going to be a flick of a switch,” she said. “It’s going to be more like a dimmer: We are going to slowly turn the lights back on.”

The state Department of Environmental Management website will list which state parks will open during the first phase.

But Raimondo warned that parking capacity will be reduced after the parks reopen, and social distancing limits will remain in effect. The first phase of reopening the economy will limit gatherings to no more than 10 people, up from the current cap of five people, and each park is likely to have a capacity limit so that it’s possible for people to remain six feet apart, she said.

“You are not going to be able to do things like have a cookout, or a have a huge football game, or any kind of organized sports in a park,” Raimondo said.

Likewise, restrictions on parking and pavilion usage will remain in effect when beaches open during the second phase, she said.

Raimondo said she recognizes the importance of getting outside during the outbreak, and she realizes that the parks and beaches are some of the best parts of Rhode Island.

Many people are asking if they’ll be able to hit the beach this summer, and she said, “The answer is going to be ‘yes,' assuming we stay on a good path."

Also, Raimondo announced that child care providers are being asked to submit reopening plans to the state Department of Human Services by May 22. She set June 1 as the target date for reopening child care centers, but added, "Forgive us if we don’t quite make June 1. "

When they reopen, child care facilities will have to operate under new guidelines and restrictions to ensure that children and caretakers remain safe, she said. For example, groups will be limited to 10 or fewer, temperature screening will be required, and cleaning guidelines will be in place, she said.

In response to a question, Raimondo said she has not decided whether federal stimulus money will go to undocumented immigrants in the state. But she said she is concerned that fear is keeping undocumented residents from getting tested for the virus.

“They are afraid that when they go to get a testing site, there might be an immigration official there,” she said. “We are working overtime to let the community know that’s not going to happen. They should get tested. They should see a doctor if they are sick.”

If undocumented residents don’t get tested, they won’t get the care they need, and they could spread the disease, which is bad for everybody in the state, Raimondo said.

“Regardless of your political views on immigration, I promise you it’s in the interest of every Rhode Islander -- in the public health interest of every Rhode Islander -- that everybody gets tested and logged into the contact tracing system and gets the support that they need,” she said.

The governor noted that Rhode Island’s hospitals have stopped noncritical procedures and elective surgeries during the outbreak, and that has hurt them financially. But now all of the state’s hospitals have submitted plans to begin conducting those noncritical procedures again “very, very soon,” she said.

Those plans take into account infection control, testing, and work protocols, so Rhode Island should have confidence that it is safe to go to hospital for those procedures, Raimondo said. She also urged people to see their doctors if they’re sick or go to emergency rooms if they need urgent care.

Raimondo said that debt collectors are not allowed to seize federal stimulus checks, and Attorney General Peter F. Neronha will take enforcement action against debt collectors if necessary. To reach the attorney general’s office, call 401-274-4400.

Edward Fitzpatrick can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @FitzProv.