→ See more of our coronavirus coverage, including community resources and personal stories.
Seven more Rhode Island residents have died as a result of the coronavirus, bringing the state’s total to 56. There are now 2349 cases confirmed in the state, and more than 180 people are hospitalized for the illness.
This will be a strange, likely lonely, Easter for many Christians across the globe, including Rhode Island, one of the most Catholic states in the country. Governor Gina Raimondo will not be hosting her now-daily coronavirus press briefing on Sunday, but will be releasing a pre-recorded message to Rhode Islanders.
Raimondo told residents that the holiday was no excuse to break from the stay-at-home order or social distancing the state has been practicing for weeks.
“It’s a day that many of us are used to being with our families,” Raimondo said. “It’s going to be very very tempting, to say ‘it’s just one dinner.’ I am asking you now, please do not do it.”
Rhode Island directed churches to shutdown services across the state. Last week, they discouraged even the handing out of palm leaves for Palm Sunday, because the virus appears to live on hard surfaces.
Churches have been adapting by live streaming services online. For many Christians it will be the first Easter not spent inside the church or with family members.
“It’s going to be very hard,” Raimondo said. “This is going to be the first Easter in my life that I haven’t been with my mother.”
But Raimondo said the so-called “surge” of the illness has not yet appeared in the state, so maintaining current self-distancing measures remains important.
“Right now we are in an incredibly critical period where we still have a chance to make sure that this virus doesn’t spiral out of control, and unfortunately even one day of letting up on social distancing will really set us back.”
Of the three most recent deaths, three people were in their 80s. According to the Rhode Island Department of Health, the elderly and people residing in nursing facilities and retirement homes are being hardest hit by the illness.
The Department was in contact with local nursing home leaders this week. The state is calling on such centers not to relax bans on visitors in light of the holiday, or to accept gifts or flowers delivered to residents.
Anticipating an increase in hospitalizations for coronavirus, crews are working furiously to build three satellite hospitals in Providence, Quonset, and Cranston for more than 1,000 additional beds.
Those field hospitals will be managed by the state’s two hospital operators, Care New England and Lifespan, and are expected to be up and running in a matter of weeks. The space at the Convention Center in Providence is expected to be ready in the next two weeks.
The Governor has signed an executive order to increase the number of healthcare workers available to staff the testing and field hospital sites set up to deal with the coronavirus: that includes retired healthcare workers, and some medical students still in training.
In addition, regular hospitals have been required to come up with plans to handle up to 140 percent of their typical capacity. Raimondo says there are enough hospital beds and ventilators to take care of patients during the expected surge.
“If you get sick, we’re going to be able to take care of you,” Raimondo said Saturday.
