Rhode Island’s stay-at-home order will be lifted on Saturday

PROVIDENCE, RI (WLNE) – Governor Gina Raimondo announced Thursday that her stay-at-home order will be lifted on Saturday as previously scheduled.

“I am trusting that people are going to do the right thing and use good judgment,” Raimondo said.

With Phase 1 in reopening Rhode Island starting on Saturday here are some updated guidelines:

• Funerals can have up to 10 people as long as there is social distancing
• Places of worship can have up to 5 people
• Gatherings can not include more than 5 people
• Retail stores can open with limited capacity
• Restaurants still allowed to serve takeout/delivery. Alcohol will also be allowed in your purchase if the restaurant serves it.
  • On Thursday, Raimondo announced that she is adding a provision to her restaurant take-out guidance to allow restaurants to sell mixed drinks in addition to beer and wine.
• No salons or gyms are allowed to open in Phase 1
  • Raimondo said “in an ideal world” gyms will be allowed to reopen in Phase 2 which is two weeks from when Phase 1 starts on Saturday.

The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) also Thursday reported 325 new positive cases and 18 deaths.

Two of the deaths were residents at the Rhode Island Veterans Home. Both of those residents were in their 70s and had underlying health conditions, according to RIDOH Health Director Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott.

The age range for the 18 new people that died ranges from people in their 60s to a person more than 100-years-old. 14 of the 18 people who died lived in long-term care facilities, according to Dr. Alexander-Scott.

The state’s cumulative COVID-19 case total now stands at 10,530, and the death toll is now 388.

“We wish it were lower but it should not alarm you,” Raimondo said of the new case numbers reported.

She added that she believes the higher case numbers reflect higher testing in vulnerable areas like nursing homes and urban areas.

According to RIDOH, 318 people are in the hospital in Rhode Island, 82 are currently in the ICU and 56 are on ventilators.

During phase one in reopening, Raimondo said it’s not going to look much different than it does right now.

“It’s absolutely not the time to expand your social network,” Raimondo said. “My focus is to get people back to work.”

Raimondo also announced that hospitals will resume required non-emergency procedures next week.

When asked about businesses whose employees are making more money on unemployment than those who are still working she answered that it’s a “real issue.”

“Do the right thing,” Raimondo said.

Some business owners like Kim Clark, owner of Rhody Craft in Providence, said the last two months have been tough, but her doors will remain closed on Saturday.

“My place has turned from a pleasant place to shop into a chaotic shipping center,” Clark said. “I think that makes all the sacrifices we’ve made in vain. I think better safe than sorry and most of the merchants agree with me here on Hope Street.”

Clark said she understands the governor’s decision to reopen the economy as some businesses are really struggling to survive.

However, she believes there is still a long road ahead of us.

“There’s a pandemic out there. We have to be responsible we have to take care of our neighbors. And a couple of weeks isn’t going to make that much of a difference when we’ve already come this far,” she said. ” I understand why [Gov. Raimondo] is making that decision. It’s a really tough call.”

Even when the economy fully opens up again, Clark believes it will still be a long time until things go back to the way they were.

“I think it will be a different business when I reopen,” she said. ” I think a lot of businesses are going to stay hybrids for a while. It’s going to be mail order and shopping in-store.”

Clark said she’s hoping to have a limited reopening on June 1.

Gov. Raimondo said she will be going over the triggers that will initiate phase two of the reopening sometime next week.