Raimondo Administration Issues Guidance on Partial Shutdown Starting November 30
GoLocalProv News Team
Raimondo Administration Issues Guidance on Partial Shutdown Starting November 30
Here is a comprehensive guide based on new information released Saturday morning by RI Commerce Corporation.
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Social Gatherings
The social gathering size changed to household.
Who does that mean I can gather with? You should only be gathering with people who you live with. Any adult who lives alone or is a single parent may gather with one other household, capped at five people. Children who reside with more than one substantial caregiver or parent may gather with each household.
Does the social gathering size – household – apply when I go to a restaurant? Yes, you should only dine at a restaurant with your household during the closure. If you are seated at a restaurant outdoors, you may be joined by one additional household capped at eight. Restaurants providing outdoor dining must ensure that parties are maintaining social distancing, mask wearing when not eating or drinking, and other public health protocols. Is there a separate rule for social gatherings during a holiday? Those celebrating holidays during the limited closure should do so with the people they live with – their household.
Catered Events
Are catered events allowed during the closure period? Catered events should not be scheduled during the limited closure. Pre-scheduled weddings or other catered events that follow restaurant rules may occur if approved by the Department of Business Regulation.
Funerals
Are funerals allowed during this closure? Houses of Worship must implement 25% capacity limits during the closure. If a funeral is taking place at a house of workshop during the the limited closure, capacity is limited to 25%. Indoor wakes and other group-based activities relating to wakes and funerals are not allowed during the closure.
Outdoor gravesite services may occur with up to five individuals in attendance.
Venue of Assembly (e.g. Events, Performance Venues) and Houses of Worship
Are Venues of Assembly such as festivals, community events, performance venues allowed during the closure? All Venues of Assembly should be closed to audiences during the closure period.
Venues of Assembly include: event venues, performing arts venues, movie theaters, spectator sporting events, festivals, and conferences/conventions. Performing and presenting professionals may gather in limited numbers in order to broadcast or live stream their performances or presentations by exception. Please contact DBR in order to seek such an exception. Are houses of worship allowed to hold services in person? When possible, attending virtual services is strongly encouraged. Houses of worship – in indoor and outdoor settings – may hold services with no more than 125 people, up to 25% of seating with appropriate physical distancing between households.
Childcare and Education
Day Care
Will child care facilities remain open? Child care facilities will remain open throughout the closure period. Facilities are not required to change their current operations.
K-12
Will schools still be holding in-person classes? Students in pre-school through eighth grade should continue in-person learning.
We are giving superintendents the flexibility to implement their limited opening plans for high schools if they determine it is necessary. If they elect to do so, high schools should still be offering in-person learning options for multilingual learners and differently-abled students. Parents and guardians should consult their student’s school district website and other communications for further detail.
Colleges and Universities
Nearly all college students will be taking classes remotely during the partial closure. Most out-of-state college students returned home prior to Thanksgiving and are not expected to return to Rhode Island until after the New Year. Only in the limited circumstances that a class cannot be completed remotely should a student expect to have any in-person classes during the closing.
Healthcare and Nursing Homes
Will primary care, specialty providers, and other health care businesses remain open? Yes. Health care providers will remain open.
Nursing homes and hospitals are currently limiting visitation. Will those limitations continue throughout the closure? Visitation will continue to be restricted throughout the closure. Please consult the facility’s website or call for more information on specific limitations.
Are restaurants allowed to continue in-person dining options? Outdoor dining is allowed and encouraged. Indoor dining is allowed at up to 33% of the restaurant’s capacity. All restaurants should stop service at 10:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. After 10:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., only takeout and delivery are allowed.
Indoors, each restaurant seating (each table) may contain only one household. Outdoors, up to two households are permitted to be seated together provided that they wear masks when not eating or drinking and follow other public health protocols.
How are restaurants expected to ensure party size is equal to a household? When taking a reservation or receiving a non-reserved party at the restaurant entrance, the restaurant must ask whether the party to be seated is a household, in accordance with the social gathering size. A restaurant must also post the one household rule prominently at its entrance and at its host/hostess desk or reception area. Restaurants are not to seat parties indoors that do not affirmatively attest to being from a single household.
Bars are closed.
Gyms and fitness centers are closed.
Sports facilities are closed.
Indoor recreation and entertainment facilities are closed.
Will retail stores remain open during the parital closure? Customers may still shop at retail stores, though online shopping is encouraged. Retail stores of less than 30,000 square feet can allow 1 customer per 100 square feet of store area. Stores larger than 30,000 square feet may allow one person, including employees, per 150 square feet, and additionally, must manage their capacity limits by monitoring the store entrances. Dressing rooms are closed. All retail stores are required to have the number of people that can be in their establishment posted at the entrance, as well as in their COVID-19 Control Plan.
Will common areas in multi-tenant retailers, like a mall, be open during the closure? Malls and other multi-tenant retailers can remain open during the closure; however, common areas, like the food court or seating areas, must be closed or roped off. For malls and other multi-tenant retailers, both the larger structure and the individual stores within it must comply with the capacity limits.
Offices and Other Businesses
Are offices closed during the partial closure? Employees who have the ability to work remotely are required to do so. If your job requires you to perform duties on site daily or periodically, you may do so.
Manufacturing - Open
Personal Services - Open
QuestionsIf you have questions about what category your business falls under, How can I obtain a clarification regarding what classification or category my business or organization falls under and what rules apply?
For questions and determinations regarding what classification/category your business/organization is in, please contact the Department of Business Regulation.