Eighth Supplemental Emergency Declaration – Quarantine Restrictions on Domestic Air Travelers

This Emergency Declaration supplements Executive Order 20-02 issued March 9, 2020.

WHEREAS, on March 9, 2020, I declared a state of emergency due to the dangers to health and life posed by COVID-19;

WHEREAS, aggressive and sustained efforts are necessary to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus and to lessen the strain on our healthcare system;

WHEREAS, the COVID-19 virus continues to spread and threatens to overwhelm the State's ability to respond;

WHEREAS, the Rhode Island Department of Health has consistently urged every Rhode Islander who can work from home to do so;

WHEREAS, on March 13, 2020, I issued Executive Order 20-03 imposing certain quarantine restrictions on persons returning to Rhode Island from outside the 5 0 states or the District of Columbia; and

WHEREAS, there are now numerous COVID-19 clusters or hotspots in states throughout the country. As a result, it has become necessary to expand these quarantine restrictions to domestic air travelers.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GINA M. RAIMONDO, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Governor of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, pursuant to Article IX of the Rhode Island Constitution and the Rhode Island General Laws, including, but not limited to, Title 30, Chapter 15, and Title 23, Chapter 8 do hereby order and direct the following:

1. Effective beginning at 7:00 a.m. on March 24, 2020, any person who returns to Rhode Island after domestic airplane travel must immediately self-quarantine for 14 days. This quarantine restriction shall not apply to public health, public safety or healthcare workers.
2. Instructions for self-quarantine can be found at the Rhode Island Department of Health website: https://health.ri.gov/diseases/ncov2019/

This Order shall take effect immediately and shall remain in full force and effect until April 22, 2020 unless renewed, modified, or terminated by subsequent Executive Order.

So Ordered,

Gina M. Raimondo

Governor