Governor Provides Updates on PPE, Field Hospitals, and Frontline Housing

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Governor Gina M. Raimondo and Nicole Alexander-Scott, MD, MPH, the Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) provided updates on Rhode Island’s response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). 

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): In the past two weeks alone, Rhode Island has received shipments totaling more than 1.5 million surgical masks, 90% of which have come from the private market. That brings the state’s total on hand to nearly 2 million surgical masks. This will allow healthcare workers in hospitals, nursing homes, urgent care centers, and sites that are serving as Respiratory Clinics to change out surgical masks on a daily basis.

• Field hospitals: Over the weekend, work on the field hospitals at the Rhode Island Convention Center and the former Citizens building in Cranston was completed, adding almost 1,000 beds to the state’s capacity.

• Frontline housing: The state has partnered with Brown University to provide free single-occupancy dormitory housing to frontline workers. Brown has made more than 700 rooms available to the state for free. This program is specifically for medical personnel, first responders, members of public safety and congregate care and home care workers. This is not for people who have tested positive for coronavirus or have related symptoms. Workers who are interested in accessing the free housing option should contact their employer.