Hello friend,
GOVERNOR GINA RAIMONDO
As we enter the eighth week since Rhode Island’s first confirmed case of COVID-19, we’re beginning to look towards the future. Because of the hard work of healthcare workers, dedicated public servants, and other frontline workers across our state, Rhode Island is in a stronger place today than many other states. We have effectively flattened the curve and bought time to prepare to ensure we will not overwhelm our hospital system at any point. So today, I want to spend some time talking through my vision for reopening the economy.
To stay up to date with Rhode Island’s latest COVID-19 statistics, please check the Department of Health’s new data dashboard for all the information you need about the spread of coronavirus in Rhode Island.
I’m the last person who wanted to slow down our economy. I’ve spent the past six years working to build our economy up, create jobs and put people back to work. To protect public health, we’ve taken a smart, targeted approach to closing down certain sectors of the economy while keeping people safe. I feel strongly that it’s important to maintain some semblance of an economy even as our lives were being turned upside down.
Still, our economy was hit hard by this crisis, and it’s not going to bounce back overnight. But I am fully committed to ensuring we are able to reopen Rhode Island and come back strong. I want everyone to understand the principles of our decision making. In other words, what do we need to see in order to be confident that we can start to reopen safely?
Here are our six key indicators:
