Governor Gina M. Raimondo and Nicole Alexander-Scott, MD, MPH, the Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) provided an update on Rhode Island’s response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis.
• Workforce Stabilization Fund: A few weeks ago, the Governor announced a Congregate Care Workforce Stabilization Fund that would make available $8.2 million to provide temporary bonuses to low-wage frontline workers. Employers have applied to be a part of this program through the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. As of today, more than $6 million in payments have already been made to providers, which will then be passed on to employees. This funding is expected to benefit more than 10,300 workers at more than 160 facilities who all make less than $20 an hour.
• Mobile Hotspots: In March, Governor Raimondo announced that all households that have a Smart Phone with a WiFi hot spot feature and have cell phone service from the four most common providers in Rhode Island – Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint – would be able to activate the hot spot feature for free with no activation fees, usage fees, or overage fees. That policy was originally only in effect until May 13th. As of today, all four carriers have extended the service to June 30th – through the end of the school year.
COVID-19 Data Update RIDOH announced 164 new cases of COVID-19 today. This brings Rhode Island’s case count to 11,614. RIDOH also announced 14 new COVID-19 associated fatalities. Rhode Island’s number of COVID-19 associated fatalities is now 444.
