Rhode Island Public Health Advisory: Updated COVID-19 Guidance

RI Department of Health shares information regarding the coronavirus

UPDATE: On Sunday, March 1, 2020, the Rhode Island Department of Health announced the first presumptive case of COVID-19 identified at RIDOH’s state health laboratories. The general level of risk for Rhode Islanders is still low, according to the RIDOH. For the full press release, click here.

WARWICK, RI (February 28, 2020) – The Rhode Island Department of Health has provided updated information below regarding the coronavirus, known as COVID-19. We are sharing it with you as safeguarding our students and faculty is our top priority. We will continue to keep you informed should any additional information become available.

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Updated COVID-19 Guidance for School Administrators and School Nurses:
The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) is offering additional information and guidance to school administrators and school nurses regarding infection caused by the new coronavirus, now known as COVID-19, first identified in Wuhan, China in late December 2019. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is in the process of developing guidance for childcare programs, K-12 schools, and colleges/universities to help them plan and prepare for COVID-19 and respond if there is a local outbreak in their community. RIDOH will distribute that guidance as soon as it is available.

At this time, Rhode Island has no confirmed cases of COVID-19 and the risk to our residents remains low. At the same time, the risk for the influenza virus is very high.

The vast majority of reported cases of COVID-19 are in China. Confirmed cases of this respiratory virus associated with travel from Wuhan are also being reported in a growing number of countries, including the United States. Some person-to-person spread of this virus outside China has been detected and the risk to Rhode Island residents remains low at this time; however, it is important for us to be prepared in the event we do start to see community spread of the virus here.

We know that outbreaks of new virus infections are always of public health concern. The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) is working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), other federal agencies, and our clinical partners to share the most up to date information available.

It is important to note that at this time, Rhode Island residents are much more likely to become sick with a cold, flu, or norovirus than to be exposed to COVID-19. Many of the precautions that help prevent colds, flu, and norovirus can help protect against other respiratory viruses.

Recommended Guidance:
As of this writing, it is extremely unlikely that anyone with travel to mainland China within the past 14 days would be at school. As of February 3, 2020, travelers from mainland China are arriving into the U.S. at 11 airports (not including Logan Airport in Boston) and are being screened upon entry. Travelers who are ill or who have traveled in the high-risk area of Hubei Province are being quarantined at the point of entry. Travelers from other parts of China without symptoms are being told to stay at home for 14 days from day of arrival.

If students, staff, or volunteers do come to the nurse’s office with a fever, cough, or difficulty breathing AND have traveled from China in the last 14 days: