RI Closing Field Hospitals As Coronavirus Cases Continue Decline

The state will close its two field hospitals soon as the number of coronavirus cases continues to decline.

The Rhode Island Department of Health announced Monday that the Rhode Island Convention Center field hospital will close Friday and the Sockanosset Cross Road one will follow in the next few weeks.

Once all patients are discharged, the field hospitals will be cleaned and sanitized. The equipment and supplies will remain in case there is another surge in hospitalizations.

The field hospitals treated 633 patients, 444 of which were at the Convention Center site.

Numbers are down dramatically from the post-Thanksgiving surge that elevated coronavirus metrics across the country, including in Rhode Island. The state said daily hospital admissions here are down 47 percent since last month, while several days last week saw a positive test rate at or below 2 percent.

"This improving data situation allows Rhode Island to plan the suspension of patient care at its two alternate hospital sites," the Department of Health said.

The announcement came the same morning Rhode Island residents 65 and older became eligible to book vaccination appointments.