The Rhode Island Department of Health has announced that there are 317 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases in the state to 4,491. There have been 19 new fatalities. Governor Gina Raimondo addressed the state on the first day that her executive order regarding face coverings is in effect. All employees at public-facing businesses are now required to wear cloth face coverings when working. Such businesses are also ordered to require customers to wear face coverings as well. Here are the complete details of Raimondo's face covering order:
1. All employees of Rhode Island's customer/client-facing businesses and nonprofit organizations, office-based businesses and non-profit organizations, and any other such business category as determined by the Department of Business Regulation (DBR) that are still in operation shall wear cloth face coverings unless an employee can easily, continuously, and measurably maintain at least six (6) feet of distance from other employees for the duration of his or her work (e.g., solo office) or unless doing so would damage the employee's health. All such employees must wear face coverings in any entry, exit and common areas of the business, including, but not limited to: check-in, registration, reception, hallways, bathrooms, breakrooms, time clock areas, elevators, stairways, etc.
2. All such businesses must provide, at their expense, face coverings or materials for the making of such face coverings for their employees. Such coverings or materials may be made available staff-wide or individually upon employee request so long as the result is organization-wide use of face coverings. Nothing shall prevent an employee from fashioning his or her own cloth face mask. Executive Order 20-24 April 14, 2020. A CDC tutorial for do-it-yourself cloth face masks is available at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-facecoverings.
3. Nothing shall prevent an employee from wearing a surgical grade mask or other more protective face covering if the person is already in possession of such equipment, or if the employer is otherwise required to provide its employees with more protective equipment due to the nature of the work involved.
4. All customer-facing businesses shall take steps to require customers to wear face coverings, including the posting of such requirement at the entrance of the business and such other steps as may be required by DBR. No person under two years of age or any person whose health would be damaged thereby shall be required to wear a face covering.
5. I hereby authorize and direct the Director of DBR to take any action and make and enforce any rules and regulations necessary to implement this Executive Order, including unannounced visits and inspections.
6. The Director of DBR is further authorized to assess civil penalties against employers and enact rules and regulations in furtherance of such penalties, for violation of this Executive Order. Such civil penalties shall be in addition to any other penalties authorized by law.
7. Non-compliance with this Order can be reported by emailing DBR at https://www.DBR.ri.gov or calling the DBR hotline at (401) 889-5550. This Order shall take effect on Saturday, April 18, 2020 and shall remain in full force and effect until Monday, May 18, 2020 unless renewed, modified or terminated by subsequent Executive Order.
Data Graphic: RIDOH website
Source: TWENTY-FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL EMERGENCY DECLARATION - REQUIRING CLOTH FACE MASKS AT WORK https://governor.ri.gov/documents/orders/Executive-Order-20-24.pdf