Quarantine and Isolation Order

WHEREAS, on March 9, 2020, Executive Order 20-02 was issued declaring a state of emergency due to the dangers to health and life posed by COVID-19, and that Order has been extended through at least February 17, 2022;

WHEREAS, on November 12, 2021, I issued Executive Order 21-109 affirming the disaster emergency that was first declared on August 19, 2021 for the now-dominant Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 and other then-existing COVID-19 variants and that Order has been extended through at least February 4, 2022;

WHEREAS, the Director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed that a significant number of individuals infected with COVID-19 do not show symptoms;

WHEREAS, COVID-19 is contagious and persons who are asymptomatic can spread the virus; and

WHEREAS, on January 4, 2022, the CDC updated COVID-19 isolation and quarantine recommendations with shorter isolation and quarantine periods to focus on the period when a person is most infectious, followed by continued masking. 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DANIEL J. MCKEE, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Governor of the State of Rhode Island, 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. A member of the general public¹ who tests positive for COVID-19 or who was in close contact² with a person who tested positive for COVID-19 must comply with the isolation³ or quarantine⁴ requirements, as applicable, regarding the duration of the isolation or quarantine period as well as the post-isolation or post-quarantine masking requirements in accordance with Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) COVID-19 Quarantine and Isolation Guidance by Population (“RIDOH Q&I Guidance”) for the General Public at: https://health.ri.gov/publications/guidance/COVID-19-Quarantine-and-Isolation-Guidance-by-Population.pdf.  
2. A member of the healthcare personnel who works in a hospital or skilled nursing home and who tests positive for COVID-19 or who was in close contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19 must comply with the isolation or quarantine requirements, as applicable, regarding the duration of the isolation or quarantine period as well as the post-isolation or post-quarantine masking in accordance with the RIDOH Q&I Guidance for the Healthcare Personnel at Hospitals and Skilled Nursing Homes at: https://health.ri.gov/publications/guidance/COVID-19-Quarantine-and-Isolation-Guidance-by-Population.pdf. 
3. A resident of a nursing home or assisted living facility who tests positive for COVID-19 or who was in close contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19 must comply with the isolation or quarantine requirements, as applicable, regarding the duration of the isolation or quarantine period as well as the  post-isolation or post-quarantine masking requirements in accordance with the RIDOH Q&I Guidance for the Nursing Home and Assisted Living Facility Residents at: https://health.ri.gov/publications/guidance/COVID-19-Quarantine-and-Isolation-Guidance-by-Population.pdf. 
4. A resident of other congregate care facility, i.e., a homeless shelter, group home, correctional facility, detention center, or the Rhode Island Training School, who tests positive for COVID-19 or who was in close contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19 must comply with the isolation or quarantine requirements, as applicable, regarding the duration of the isolation or quarantine period as well as the post-isolation or post-quarantine masking in accordance with the RIDOH Q&I Guidance for the Other Congregate Care Facility Residents at: https://health.ri.gov/publications/guidance/COVID-19-Quarantine-and-Isolation-Guidance-by-Population.pdf.  
5. A student or staff member in pre K-12 schools who tests positive for COVID-19 or who was in close contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19 must comply with the isolation or quarantine requirements, as applicable, including any Monitor to Stay Quarantine Program, regarding the duration of the isolation or quarantine period as well as the post-isolation or post-quarantine masking requirements in accordance with RIDOH’s Guidance for COVID-19 outbreak response in Pre K-12 schools at: https://health.ri.gov/publications/guidance/Outbreak-Response-Protocols-Pre-K-12.pdf. 
6. During critical staffing shortages, as determined by RIDOH, RIDOH may exempt some categories of workers while they are at work or traveling to or from work such as: staff at healthcare facilities, nursing home facilities, assisted living facilities, public health sector, public safety sector, social service providers, election work, homeless shelters, group homes, correctional facilities, and detention centers, provided that these workers follow the RIDOH Q&I guidance. 
7. Instructions for self-isolation and self-quarantine and a description of COVID-19 symptoms can be found at the RIDOH website: https://health.ri.gov/diseases/ncov2019/
8. I hereby authorize and direct the Director of RIDOH to take any action and make and enforce any rules and regulations necessary to implement this Order.
9. The Director of RIDOH is further authorized to assess civil penalties, and enact rules and regulations in furtherance of such penalties, for violation of this Order.  Such civil penalties shall be in addition to any other penalties authorized by law.

This Order, superseding Executive Order 21-105 and effective as of January 7, 2022, shall remain in full force and effect through February 5, 2022 unless renewed, modified or terminated by a subsequent Executive Order.

So Ordered:

Daniel J. McKee

Governor

¹ A member of the general public means any person who does not fall into any of the categories in paragraphs 2 through 5 of this Order.

² Close contact means being within six feet of someone or less over a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period.

³ Isolation is for people who have symptoms of COVID-19, or who tested positive for COVID-19 regardless of whether or not they have symptoms. 

⁴ Quarantine is for people who have come in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.