[Summit] Gov. Raimondo's newsletter, video and press release -- Early Warning System & COVID-19 Tests for workers [Covid News no. 294]

[David Kolsky]

Press Releases

Governor Raimondo, Dr. Alexander-Scott Detail Plans for Early Warning Testing System

Governor Gina M. Raimondo and Nicole Alexander-Scott, MD, MPH, the Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) provided details today on Rhode Island's Early Warning Testing System, which will inform the state's immediate response efforts and inform data modeling and forecasting for the weeks and months to come.

As part of the Early Warning Testing System, specific groups of high-contact workers who are asymptomatic can now be tested at no cost at a Rhode Island National Guard testing site (located at Community College of Rhode Island or Rhode Island College). To schedule a test, someone who is in one of these groups can go to portal.ri.gov. Alternatively, people can call RIDOH at 401-222-8022 to schedule a test. The asymptomatic workers who can schedule tests are:
   
   - - Hair professionals
   - - Nail artists
   - - Gym employees
   - - Tattoo artists
   - - Massage therapists
   - - Child care workers

In addition to people in these groups, any Rhode Islander who attended a large protest or demonstration this weekend can (and should) get tested, even if they do not have symptoms. People who attended a large protest or demonstration can schedule a test by going to portal.ri.gov or calling 401-222-8022.

The Early Warning Testing System is the third of three facets to Rhode Island's approach to testing. The first facet is Symptomatic Testing. Anyone with symptoms in Rhode Island can get tested, regardless of their profession or work situation. The second facet of Rhode Island's approach to testing is Outbreak Rapid Response. This entails using testing as a tool to respond within hours of multiple cases discovered in places like congregate care settings, workplaces, and other high-density areas.

   ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: Gina Raimondo <communications at governor.ri.gov>To: Sent: Monday, June 8, 2020, 09:01:34 PM EDTSubject: COVID-19 tests for workers - even those without symptoms
  
| Your RI COVID-19 News Update |
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| Hi David,
For months, Rhode Island has been a national – and global – leader in testing, and that continues to be true today. We still have the highest rate of testing per capita of any state—and a higher rate than most countries. As of today, we’ve tested about 15% of our population. For comparison, the national average is below 5.5%. 
We became a leader in testing because we were innovative, we worked hard, and we refused to take no for an answer. But we’re going to stay a leader by testing smarter, not just harder. Last month, I laid out our comprehensive, three-part testing strategy: We’re going to rapidly test all symptomatic people, we’re going to react quickly to an outbreak, and we’re going to create an early warning system by testing key groups of asymptomatic individuals. 
The data we get from our early warning system will help us determine how many people may have coronavirus without showing any symptoms, helping us further refine guidelines for industries and build better models and projections. The good news is that this work is already ongoing - but for our early warning system to be effective, we need it to be more robust.  Here's how we can do that: |

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| Starting today, close contact workers at hair salons, barber shops, nail salons, gyms, tattoo, massage and tanning parlors will be able to schedule a free test at our National Guard testing sites. We’re also opening this asymptomatic, free testing option to education workers, starting today with child care employees.
If you fall into one of these categories, you can get tested by going to portal.ri.gov or calling the Department of Health at 222-8022. To be clear, this is for people without symptoms. If you have symptoms, you should call your primary care physician or community health center and get tested as soon as possible.
We fully expect to add more groups to our asymptomatic testing program as time goes on. We’re also going to prioritize testing communities of color in everything that we do, particularly in high-density communities like Central Falls and Pawtucket.
In addition to these populations, we also want to know what’s happening after people have been in large groups exercising their constitutionally-protected right to protest. Along with the populations we just discussed, anyone who has been in a gathering at a protest can get tested without symptoms starting today. This is what the CDC is recommending to people in every state who have participated in a protest. You can schedule a test the same way—by going to portal.ri.gov or calling the Department of Health at 222-8022. |

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| 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. |

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| I want to be absolutely clear: you should not interpret this policy as permission to attend large social gatherings. Do not throw a party thinking that you can just get tested after. You should still be limiting your face-to-face contact with 15 people or fewer in Phase 2. That said, if you have recently attended a large protest, we’re encouraging you to go get tested. Your early action could help save the lives of people around you.
We're all in this together.
-Gina RaimondoGovernor
P.S.: Information is our greatest weapon in the fight against COVID-19, If you or someone you know wants to sign up to receive these emails, you can use this link. |

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|  Governor's Office | 82 Smith Street, Providence, RI 02903  |
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