Rhode Island Expands Visitor Order Beyond Cars From New York

Nicole Alexander-Scott, Gina Raimondo — Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo, front right, and R.I. Director of Health Nicole Alexander-Scott, behind left, face reporters during a news conference, Sunday, March 1, 2020, in Providence, R.I. The two took questions on what officials described as the state's first presumptive positive case of coronavirus. Officials said the person is in their 40s and had traveled to Italy in February of 2020.

By Lisa Rathke | Associated Press

March 29, 2020

All out-of-state passenger vehicles entering Rhode Island at the southern border with Connecticut will be asked to stop at information centers and if they plan to stay for a while must provide contact information and self-quarantine for 14 days, Gov. Gina Raimondo said during her daily press conference on the coronavirus on Sunday.

On Saturday, she expanded an order beyond New Yorkers to anyone coming to Rhode Island for a non-work related reason to self-quarantine and further explained that and other orders on Sunday.

The order for all non-essential retail businesses to close does not include grocery stores or restaurants who can continue to offer take-out. Raimondo continued to implore residents to follow social distancing guidelines and follow her order to stay home, unless they need to get food or medicines, and to interact with no more than the same five people.

Rhode Island reported its third death from the virus on Sunday.