The COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. state of Rhode Island is part of an ongoing worldwide viral pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a novel infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). As of August 18, 2022, there has been 414,931 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Rhode Island, 89 of which are currently hospitalized, and 3,636 reported deaths. Rhode Island's COVID-19 case rate and death rate per capita are the highest and twentieth highest, respectively, of the fifty states since the start of the pandemic.
As of August 3, 2022, 1,072,027 Rhode Islanders have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose (equivalent to over 99% of the state's population) with 901,041 Rhode Islanders completing the primary vaccine series (equivalent to 85.28% of the state's population), and 447,252 Rhode Islanders receiving at least one booster dose (equivalent to 42.33% of the state's population).
As of August 18, 2022, there have been 151,089 breakthrough COVID-19 cases (49.02% of new cases since the beginning of vaccine rollout and 15.25% of vaccinated Rhode Islanders), 3,339 breakthrough hospitalizations (32.92% of new hospitalizations since the beginning of vaccine rollout and 0.34% of vaccinated Rhode Islanders), and 486 breakthrough deaths (33.40% of new deaths since the beginning of vaccine rollout and 0.05% of vaccinated Rhode Islanders).
Timeline
2020 March March 1: The first two confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in Rhode Island are identified. Both patients were connected to a St. Raphael Academy February school trip to Italy. March 9: Then-Governor Gina Raimondo declares a state of emergency. March 11: The University of Rhode Island cancels all in-person classes through April 3, with classes resuming online on March 23. March 12: Providence mayor Jorge Elorza postpones all public city meetings and pulls all entertainment licenses in the city, effectively closing all clubs, music venues, and movie theaters. March 13: Students at Springbrook Elementary School in Westerly self-quarantine after a student tests positive. The child had received an autograph from Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert, who had also tested positive, at a Boston Celtics game earlier in the month. Students at Cranston High School West self-quarantine for two weeks after a student tests positive. Twin River Casino in Lincoln and Tiverton Casino in Tiverton close for one week, which is later extended indefinitely. The St. Patrick's Day parade in Newport is canceled for the first time in its 64-year history due to COVID-19 concerns. WSBE-TV, the PBS member station for Rhode Island, cancels the production of all local programming until further notice. March 16: Public schools are closed. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence cancels all public mass services until further notice. The Preservation Society of Newport County closes all of its mansion properties to public tours. March 17: Bars and dine-in restaurants closed, crowds of 25 or more people banned. The Providence Place shopping mall is closed until further notice. The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority closes its facilities at Kennedy Plaza in Providence. All state public libraries are closed through March 22, later extended to April 3. As of this date, there are 23 confirmed cases. March 18: The Trinity Repertory Company in Providence cancels the remainder of its 2019–20 theater season. March 20: The Rhode Island National Guard is activated to assist the state with the crisis by delivering food and staffing testing centers. Restaurants are allowed by the state to sell beer and wine for take-out orders to supplement their income while dine-in services are suspended. March 22: As of this date, there are 83 confirmed cases. Raimondo orders all entertainment and recreation businesses, barber shops, hair salons, and tattoo shops to close. March 23: All state public schools resume classes through distance education. The 2020 Rhode Island Democratic primary is postponed from April 28 to June 2. March 24: New Shoreham issues a shelter-in-place order for Block Island effective through April 15. The three towns located on Aquidneck Island – Newport, Middletown, and Portsmouth – all implement shelter-in-place orders and require all out-of-state or seasonal residents to quarantine for 14 days upon their arrival. The University of Rhode Island cancels its graduation commencement ceremony scheduled for May 16 and 17. Brown University in Providence postpones its graduation commencement ceremony, which was scheduled for May, until the fall. Travelers entering Rhode Island from T. F. Green Airport are required to self-quarantine for 14 days. March 25: The Rhode Island Air National Guard cancels its annual air show, which was scheduled to take place at the Quonset State Airport in North Kingstown in June. March 26: Raimondo announces that any individual coming to the state from New York by land or air that plans to stay in Rhode Island must self-quarantine for 14 days. The Rhode Island State Police establish a checkpoint on Interstate 95 at the Rhode Island Welcome Center in Richmond, near the Connecticut border, at which motorists with New York license plates and who plan to stay in the state are required to give their contact information. Raimondo orders grocery stores to limit the number of customers in their building at once to 25% of stated fire capacity. March 27: Raimondo extends several gathering bans through April and May, including a ban on dine-in service at restaurants through April 13. Entertainment, recreational and "close-contact" businesses (such as barber shops) are also ordered closed through April 13. As of this date, there are 203 total confirmed cases of COVID-19, 28 of whom are hospitalized. March 28: Rhode Island reports its first two deaths from COVID-19: one individual in their 80s who died on March 27, and another individual in their 70s who died on March 28, both of whom had underlying medical conditions. Raimondo enacts a stay-at-home order for all Rhode Islanders who are not travelling to purchase food, household supplies, medicine, or gasoline, or are going for a recreational walk alone. Raimondo announces that any individual travelling to Rhode Island from anywhere outside of the state for non-work purposes are required to quarantine at home for 14 days. Individuals who live in Rhode Island but work outside of the state are also required to quarantine when they are not at work. This legislation replaces the executive order that affected only travelers to New York, which was repealed by then-Governor Raimondo. Gatherings in the state are further restricted, with any gathering of over five people banned. Raimondo orders all "non essential" retail to close until April 13. The Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation issues a list of stores that will be allowed to remain open, including supermarkets, convenience stores, farmers' markets, food banks and pantries, specialty food stores, pharmacies, liquor stores, medical cannabis dispensaries, mail delivery operations, printing shops and operations, pet supply stores, laundromats, gas stations, electronics stores, hardware stores, automobile supply stores, gun shops, funeral homes, banks, healthcare uniform stores, and restaurants offering take-out or delivery. Non-essential retailers, such as book stores and clothing stores, are allowed to continue to receive and send orders made online or by telephone. Police and national guard members knock on doors of homes where cars had New York license plates to remind them of a requirement to self-quarantine.Coronavirus: Trump decides against quarantine of New York region by Paul HANDLEY, AFP, March 28, 2020
March 29: The state suspends all child care licenses through April 3. Following public comments by New York governor Andrew Cuomo, Raimondo and Rhode Island State Police colonel James Manni clarify the wording of the March 28 order, reiterating that all out-of-state passenger vehicles that are planning to stay in Rhode Island are required to visit information centers on the Rhode Island-Connecticut border to collect quarantine information before quarantining in their homes for 14 days. The order does not affect passenger vehicles who are passing through Rhode Island to another state, commuters, or individuals who cross the border to purchase groceries. March 30: Raimondo announces that all Rhode Island school buildings will be closed through the end of April, with classes continuing through distance learning.
April April 3: As of this date, state beaches and parks remain closed, with Raimondo citing a lack of social distancing as the reason for the decision. The first COVID-19 case is reported on Block Island. Raimondo announces that three field hospitals will be set up in the state to add 1,000 hospital beds in case of hospital overflow. April 5: The annual Gaspee Days Parade and Festival, due to take place in Pawtuxet Village in June, is canceled for 2020. April 6: CVS Pharmacy, which is headquartered in Woonsocket, begins a free rapid COVID-19 testing program for Rhode Islanders at Twin River Casino in Lincoln. The 2020 U.S. Senior Open, scheduled to be held at the Newport Country Club in Newport in June, is canceled. Rhode Island surpasses 1,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 1,082 confirmed cases, 109 hospitalized individuals, and 27 deaths in the state as of this date. April 7: Providence closes all golf courses and city parks. Raimondo extends the bans on dine-in service at restaurants and social gatherings of more than five people until May 7. The closure of public recreation, entertainment, and close contact business establishments is also extended to that date. April 8: Raimondo signs an executive order authorizing the Rhode Island Department of Health to fine individuals who deliberately or repeatedly violate quarantine orders after testing positive for COVID-19, coming into close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19, or travelling to Rhode Island for a non-work purpose with intent to stay. April 9: Providence College moves its graduation commencement ceremony from May 17 to October 31. April 10: Rhode Island surpasses 2,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19. As of this date, there are 2,015 confirmed cases (including 288 new cases), 169 hospitalized individuals, and 49 deaths. April 11: The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority closes the eastbound toll collection lanes on the Claiborne Pell Newport Bridge overnight; westbound tolling had been suspended on March 26. During nighttime hours, bridge traffic is rerouted through open road tolling lanes. April 13: Rhode Island has its first daily decrease in COVID-19 hospitalizations, with 197 hospitalizations compared to 201 on April 12. April 14: Rhode Island joins New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut to form a multi-state council to co-ordinate plans to reopen the economy across the Northeast region once it is safe to do so. April 15: Rhode Island Department of Health launches a new statistics website for state COVID-19 data. For the first time, the new website includes cumulative hospital discharges of recovered COVID-19 patients. As of this date, there have been 168 total discharges since the start of the pandemic. Raimondo announces that residents of border communities, such as Tiverton, can shop for groceries out of state without having to quarantine for 14 days when they return to Rhode Island. As of this date, 66 of the 87 reported deaths in Rhode Island are residents of nursing homes, with 23 deaths recorded at one facility in North Providence. April 18: