Raimondo’s office sent out the following statement on Thursday afternoon
“Yesterday, the Rhode Island Department of Health learned that the state’s allocation of the Pfizer vaccine for Week 2, beginning 12/21, was reduced from 10,725 to 6,825 doses.
We have heard accounts of similar reductions in other states, and no clear explanation has been provided by Operation Warp Speed.
We are calling on the Trump administration to honor its commitments and provide the full allocation to Rhode Island.
In the meantime, we are continuing to distribute the vaccine as quickly as possible to our frontline healthcare workers, and we are evaluating the impact of these reductions on our vaccination planning.”
Starting Monday, businesses like gyms, casinos and other closed indoor venues are back open.
Raimondo made the decision while both the New York Times and Covid ActNow rank Rhode Island as having the 2nd most cases per capita in the country. The hospitalizations increased during the “pause” and now stand at 459 they were as 410 when the partial shutdown began.GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST
Bally’s Corporation (formerly Twin River) announced Friday its two Rhode Island properties will reopen on Monday, December 21. Hours of operation for both Twin River Casino Hotel in Lincoln and the Tiverton Casino Hotel will be 6:00 am – 10:00 pm from Sunday through Thursday and 6:00 am – 10:30 pm on Friday and Saturdays.
RI Governor Gina Raimondo
The Rhode Island Department of Health reported 23 additional coronavirus fatalities over the past day in the state, bringing the state’s total to 1,625. The highest number of deaths were reported on April 30 and May 2 when RI recorded 24 deaths on each of those days.GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST
459 people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 according to the state, with 56 people in the ICU.
Hospitalizations are now at 433, with 47 people in ICU.
The state announced on Monday the first vaccine distribution plans, with hospitals and frontline workers due to start receiving the vaccine on Monday and Tuesday.
Next Press Conference
Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo and officials will be LIVE next on Friday for their weekly press conference.
Raimondo is currently quarantining after RIDOH Director Dr. Nicole Alexander Scott tested positive.