7 Major Coronavirus Developments — Numbers Are Daunting — May 16, 2020

Raimondo Delays Phase 2

Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo announced Friday that phase 2 of Rhode Island's reopening will likely occur a month after the start of phase 1 -- when she lifted the stay-at-home order on May 8.

Raimondo said phase 2 will not be considered until June.

Metrics to Further Opening

Raimondo also laid out four different metrics, in addition to the state’s operational response, that officials are tracking as they consider moving between phases of reopening. 

Hospital capacity: If the state continues to see less than 70% of ICU and non-ICU beds filled by COVID-19 patients, that is an indicator that it is safe to continue moving forward. However, if 85% or more of these beds are filled, either in overall hospital capacity or specifically in the ICU, it may be time to scale back.

Hospitalizations: Right now, Rhode Island is consistently seeing fewer than 30 new COVID-19 related hospitalizations per day. If that trend continues, that is an indicator that reopening can move forward. But if that number is consistently above 50, it may signal a need to go back. 

Rate of spread: This is measured using the “R value,” or the “effective reproduction rate.” This is how many people are infected by each infected person. If the R value continues to be around 1.1 or lower, then it will be safe to think about moving into the next phase. If the R value gets to 1.3 or higher Rhode Island may have to move back a phase. the average number of secondary cases per infectious case

Doubling rate of current hospitalizations: Currently, hospitalizations are stable or declining. If the state starts seeing a doubling within twenty days or less, that will be an indicator that it may be time to put restrictions back in place.

Richest New Yorkers Left the City, But RI Not Top Destination

Despite Governor Gina Raimondo's claims and her high profile battle with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo over New Yorkers coming to Rhode Island, new data released by the New York Times shows the richest did leave New York City, but Rhode Island was not one of their top destinations.

"The phone data shows New Yorkers primarily went to surrounding counties — east into Long Island’s Nassau and Suffolk counties, west to Monroe County in Pennsylvania, south to Monmouth County in New Jersey, north to Westchester County, northeast to Fairfield County in Connecticut and farther afield in all directions. Palm Beach County, in South Florida, was among the top locations for displaced New Yorkers," reports the New York Times.

Retailers Faced With Difficult Choices

While Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza urged city residents to publicly "shame" fellow residents who don't wear masks, police unions have refused to enforce the state's order. The burden is falling more and more on businesses.

"Retail chains from CVS to 7-Eleven are being forced to decide whether and how to enforce rules on masks after a string of attacks on clerks and security guards by patrons who refused to cover their faces.

As more cities, states and businesses require customers to cover up in stores, face coverings have become a flashpoint in the debate over how to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Some opponents of forced shutdowns and social-distancing requirements are flouting mask mandates, leaving grocers, drugstore chains and big-box retailers to weigh public-health requirements against the risk of putting their workers in harm’s way," reports the Wall Street Journal.

U.S. House of Representatives Pass Largest Stimulus Bill Ever - Now DOA

Friday, the House passed a massive $3 trillion economic stimulus bill. The Senate leadership and the White House announced that the legislation is "dead on arrival."

Under this legislation, the State of Rhode Island and local cities and towns would receive at least $5.3 billion in Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Relief Funds according to an analysis from the Congressional Research Service and more than $262 million in funding for local school districts and colleges and universities.

The so-called "Heroes Act" includes:

Nearly $1 trillion for state, local, territorial and tribal governments, supporting pay for vital workers like first responders, health workers, and teachers $200 billion for a Heroes’ Fund to ensure hazard pay for essential workers
$75 billion for testing, tracing and treatment, aiming to expand access to free coronavirus treatment and in support of hospitals and providers
- Another round of direct stimulus payments of $1,200 per family member and up to $6,000 per household
- A new employee retention tax credit that encourages employers to keep employees on payroll, which would allow 60 million Americans to continue to receive a paycheck and benefits
Provisions to strengthen the Payroll Protection Program to ensure funds reach underserved communities and nonprofits
- An additional $10 billion for small business emergency grants through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program
COBRA subsidies to maintain health coverage and the creation a special enrollment period for coverage under the Affordable Care Act
- An extension of unemployment benefits providing weekly supplemental $600 payments through next January
$175 billion in new housing supports to help people pay rent, mortgage and utilities
- An increase to the maximum SNAP benefit and additional funding for nutrition programs

Narragansett Battle Brewing

Monday night is showdown night as the Narragansett Town Council is taking up a  controversial resolution.

The President of the Town Council in Narragansett has introduced a resolution directing the Town Police Department to “not enforce the State of Rhode Island’s coronavirus-related executive orders.”

Matthew Mannix placed the resolution on the agenda for the upcoming Town Council meeting for Monday May 18, stating:

The Town of Narragansett recognizes the threat of the coronavirus to the physical being of its residents…and also recognizes that the restrictions imposed by many of these Coronavirus-related Executive Orders have imposed substantial harm to the emotional, spiritual, and financial well-being of its residents

Numbers

12,219 Cases in Rhode Island

83,421 Cases in Massachusetts

479 Deaths in RI

5,592 Deaths in Massachusetts

1,484,287 Cases in the United States

88,507 Deaths in the United States

4,646,413 Global Cases

308,984 Global Deaths

1,770,751 Global Recoveries