Eleventh Supplemental Emergency Declaration – Staying At Home, Reducing Gatherings, Certain Retail Business Closures and Further Quarantine Provisions

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, on March 13, 2020, I issued Executive Order 20-03 imposing quarantine restrictions on persons returning to Rhode Island from outside the 50 states or the District of Columbia;

WHEREAS, on March 23, 2020, I issued Executive Order 20-10 imposing quarantine restrictions on domestic air travelers returning to Rhode Island; and

WHEREAS, there are now numerous COVID-19 clusters or hotspots in states throughout the country.

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:

Staying at and Working from Home

1. All Rhode Island residents are required to stay home unless traveling to work, traveling for medical treatment or obtaining necessities (food, medicine, gas, etc.). Rhode Island residents may still go outside to exercise and get fresh air, however, they must practice social distancing while outside and avoid touching surfaces frequently touched by others.
2. Any Rhode Island employer with employees who live in other states shall use all means available to enable these employees to telecommute or make other work from-home arrangements. This provision shall not apply to public health, public safety, or healthcare workers.

Reducing the Size of Gatherings

3. All gatherings of more than five (5) people in any public or private space such as an auditorium, stadium, arena, large conference room, meeting hall, library, theater, place of worship, parade, fair, festival, park or beach, are prohibited.

Certain Retail Business Closures

4. Effective Monday, March 30, 2020, all non-critical retail businesses shall cease in person operations. Critical retail businesses include, but are not limited to, food and beverage stores (e.g., supermarkets, liquor, specialty food, and convenience stores, farmers' markets, food banks and pantries), pharmacies and medical supply stores, compassion centers, pet supply stores, printing shops, mail and delivery stores and operations, gas stations, laundromats, electronics and telecommunications stores, office supply, industrial and agricultural/seafood equipment and supply stores, hardware stores, funeral homes, auto repair and supply, banks and credit unions, firearms stores, healthcare and public safety professional uniform stores, and other stores and businesses identified as critical by the Department of Business Regulation. Restaurants will be permitted to operate only for pickup, drive-through, and delivery in accordance with previous executive orders.

Quarantine for All Travelers

5. Any person coming to Rhode Island from another state for a non-work-related purpose must immediately self-quarantine for 14 days. This quarantine restriction shall not apply to public health, public safety, or healthcare workers.
6. Any person who lives in Rhode Island and works in another state who can work from home is required to do so. To the extent such a person cannot perform his or her functions via telework or other work from home arrangements, that person shall self-quarantine when not at work. This quarantine restriction shall not apply to public health, public safety, or healthcare workers.
7. 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 13, 2020 unless renewed, modified, or terminated by subsequent Executive Order.

So Ordered,

Gina M. Raimondo

Governor