Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo used her now once-weekly COVID-19 press briefing to play both cheerleader and disciplinarian. A day after the state recorded over 100 new cases for the first time in over a month, the governor issued a stern warning about maintaining social distancing and wearing masks, saying, "If you let your guard down, more Rhode Islanders will die. More businesses will go out of business...and there will be more human suffering."
Raimondo was especially direct with young adults, quoting data that shows that the statewide COVID-19 test-positive rate is 2% while the rate for people between the ages of 20 and 29 is 7%. She reminded young people not to "pile 10 people in the car to go to the beach."
Noting that the state had recently been struggling to control overcrowding at beaches, Governor Raimondo announced that parking lots at Scarborough and Misquamicut State Beaches will be reduced to 25%, beginning Thursday 7/16. State beaches will also increase staffing to enforce social distancing and mask rules.
After her sobering messages about rules and enforcement, the governor announced that an additional $200 million of federal stimulus stimulus money will be used for immediate economic relief programs, including a $100 million investment in helping small businesses survive the pandemic. .
- Data for Wed. 7/15:
- 52 new cases
- 2 new fatalities
- Tested on 7/16: 2,923