New Coronavirus Modeling Predicts June 7 for When RI Can “Relax Social Distancing”

New Coronavirus Modeling Predicts June 7 for When RI Can “Relax Social Distancing”

A new coronavirus model is predicting that June 7 will be the earliest date that Rhode Island can relax social distancing.

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington — which Rhode Island has used for modeling before releasing its own data — released the new data this week. 

IHME released a map of the United States breaking down by state the “earliest day after which relaxing social distancing may be possible with containment strategies that include testing, contact tracing, isolation, and limiting gathering size.”

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The earliest that IHME predicts some states can loosen social distancing is May 6, in the case of Alaska and Hawaii — and as late as June 26 for Iowa — and July 12 for North Dakota.

“Today’s release involves the second iteration of projecting when states may be able to consider easing currently implemented social distancing policies – if and only if – strong containment measures already have been instituted,” said IHME.

“Based on the latest available data and updated predictions of COVID-19 prevalence, the table below outlines potential timing of these considerations.”