7 Major Coronavirus Developments — RI Youth Sports Gets Limited Go Ahead — May 29, 2020
GoLocalProv News Team
7 Major Coronavirus Developments — RI Youth Sports Gets Limited Go Ahead — May 29, 2020
But she said there will be a significant number of limits.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST"We don’t want you seeing a different group of 15 kids every day and we don’t want you traveling all over the state. I hope that that will come in phase three, which will be in July," said Raimondo.
The guidelines have been posted to the reopeningri website.
Phase II Youth Sports Guidelines
According to the new guidelines:
Beginning on June 1, 2020, Summer Youth Sports organizations may begin resuming limited activities in accordance with the guidelines established below. Summer Youth Sports organizations must comply with RIDOH regulations and active executive orders. Summer Youth Sports organizations should refer to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance on youth sports and guidance on visiting parks and recreational facilities. In addition, Summer Youth Sports organizations offering summer camps are subject to the State’s Summer Camp Regulations and guidance.
Stable groups: Participants are required to be organized in “stable groups” of a maximum of 15 people. The term “stable groups” means the same individuals, including children, staff and any adult leaders, remain in the same group over the course of the entire program. Children shall not change from one group to another, and groups should occupy the same physical space. Parents and caregivers should choose one stable group for their child per season. o It should be noted that coming into close proximity with someone outside your household increases your risk and should be limited as much as possible.
Physical distancing: Physical distancing is encouraged, but not required within each stable group; however, activities where at least six feet of distance can be maintained are encouraged and 14 feet of distance is preferred. When not engaged in active play, members of a stable group should maintain physical distance of six feet between each person. Space between stable groups: Stable groups are required to maintain a minimum of 14 feet between the outer limit of their group play and any other stable group or passersby.
Quarantine: All out-of-state participants in Summer Youth Sports should be advised of and adhere to any executive orders regarding the need to quarantine prior to participation in Summer Youth Sports.
Screening: Screen adult leaders and youth participants prior to the activity for any symptoms of COVID-19. A screening tool is available, in English and Spanish, to aid with proper screening at https://health.ri.gov/covid/for/business/. Any person exhibiting signs of illness or who have been exposed to a person with COVID-19 must be excluded from the activity in accordance with CDC and RI Department of Health guidelines at https://health.ri.gov/diseases/ncov2019/
WATCH AT NOON: Former Director of Health Dr. Michael Fine on GoLocal LIVE
See Slideshow: 7 Major Coronavirus Developments Below
7 Major Coronavirus Developments — May 29, 2020
Rental Assistance Program
Governor Gina Raimondo announced that the state will be making available an additional $5 million in funding for the Housing Help RI emergency rental assistance fund.
This money is available to lower-income renters who have been impacted by the COVID-19 emergency and are at immediate risk of homelessness.
Those who qualify can receive a grant of up to $5,000 to support past due rent payments and other fees. For information, go to HousingHelpRI.com or call 211.
Retail Spending Falls
The Wall Street Journal is reporting:
U.S. consumer spending fell by a record 13.6% in April during coronavirus lockdowns, but there are signs that purchasing is starting to pick up
Weak April spending adds to the evidence that the U.S. economy is in for a long, slow recovery. The coronavirus pandemic and related lockdowns wiped out a decade of job gains within a month and left millions of Americans without a steady source of income.
As states start to reopen businesses and Americans return to work, activity in some pockets of the economy appears to be perking up—or at least not deteriorating further—after hitting rock bottom in April.
“Some of the data suggests a stabilization,” said Kathy Bostjancic, chief U.S. financial economist at Oxford Economics. “It’s still overall a very tentative, slow recovery.”
One Top Restaurant Owner Says He Will Not Go Out to Eat
"A top Rhode Island restaurateur said there is "not a chance" he would go out to eat in the state right now, as restaurants are currently allowed outdoor dining with restrictions -- and will be allowed to open with indoor dining on Monday.
Bob Burke, who owns Pot au Feu in Providence, made the comments following an online "town hall" held by Commerce RI on Thursday.
"A Thursday 'Town Hall' for a Monday opening — are you kidding me? Workers and customers are at risk," said Burke.
"People are doing what you expect them to do in bad times. Workers are staying out, owners are trying to stay open. Decisions are being made on who’s making the most money — and people are going to get hurt," said Burke. "People are going to restaurants where standards are unclear."
"I would eat at Pot au Feu because since March 16, 2020 it has been the safest place to eat in Rhode Island," said Burke. "We continue to surpass every health and safety standard that the state sets to assure our workers and customers that we will make our workplace and food the safest in the state."
Workplace Changes
The New York Times is reporting that the CDC has issued new guidance on how to reopen workplaces.
"As the CDC recommends workplace changes, millions of the unemployed have more immediate concerns.
Upon arriving at work, employees should get a temperature and symptom check.
Inside the office, desks should be six feet apart. If that isn’t possible, employers should consider erecting plastic shields around them.
Seating should be barred in common areas. And face coverings should be worn at all times."
Leading RI Architect Says Hospitality Will Change Dramatically
Architect Eric Zuena with ZDS, who specializes in hospitality design, appeared on GoLocal LIVE where he spoke to how he sees the hospitality industry coming back from coronavirus — or how it will reinvent itself.
“There’s no silver bullet. Everyone’s looking at it with different optics — it’s really when the market optics come into play,” said Zuena. “Who’s your audience, who are the people you’re catering to, what’s your luxury level, and what’s your cash flow.”
“We’re learning a lot at a smaller scale and applying it at a larger scale in all facets of business,” said Zuena. “I’ll tell you, it’s interesting. There is a group that we work with that actually takes the motel product and converts it into a boutique upscale hotel, and that’s a group that we’re currently working with.”
“It’s all about how little can I interact with people, what’s the least amount of surfaces I can touch from here to my room. And then once I get to my room, don’t you dare come into my room and make my bed without my knowing,” said Zuena. “It reduces overhead because your housekeeping bills are going to go down.”
Numbers
14,494 Cases in Rhode Island
94,895 Cases in Massachusetts
677 Deaths in RI
6,640 Deaths in Massachusetts
1,757,778 Cases in the United States
102,943 Deaths in the United States
5,937,200 Global Cases
362,776 Global Deaths
2,605,172 Global Recoveries
GoLocal LIVE -- Friday, May 29, 2020
10:30 AM - Rebecca Couto da Silva, live update from Bolzano, Italy
12:00 PM - Dr. Michael Fine, Former RI Director of Health
1:00 PM - Governor Gina Raimondo Briefing
EDITOR'S NOTE: Gov. Raimondo has reversed her policy and is now allowing reporters to attend press conferences and directly ask questions. For more than 6 weeks she had blocked reporters from directly asking questions for the public to hear.
