Coronavirus: Middletown Requests Out-Of-State Visitors Quarantine

MIDDLETOWN, RI — Middletown Town Officials are asking all those visiting or returning to town from outside of Rhode Island to self-quarantine amid the coronavirus pandemic. This includes seasonal residents of town, and is especially advised for those coming to Middletown from New York, Connecticut, New Jersey and Massachusetts.

Any other travelers visiting from locations with confirmed cases of COVID-19, or who may have come in contact with anyone exhibiting flu-like symptoms, are also asked to self-quarantine. Town officials said they are "acutely aware" of the risk of community spread from out-of-town travelers or visitors.

Anyone who is visiting or residing temporarily in Middletown from locations with a "shelter-in-place order" — or similar restrictions — are also asked to place themselves in self-quarantine for a period of two weeks and to monitor themselves daily for any flu-like symptoms, including fever, nausea, body aches and sore throats or coughs.

Middletown officials said they currently do not have any plans to issue a formal stay-at-home order, but are continuing to consult with the Rhode Island Department of Health, Center for Disease Controls, and the Governor's Office. Middletown's Emergency Operation Center is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Anyone who requires assistance related to COVID-19 are encouraged to call 401-842-6555.

About half of the state's cases involve travel, Gov. Gina Raimondo said on Monday. Starting at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, anyone flying into the state was to be required to self-quarantine in their home for 14 days. National Guard staff will be stationed at T.F. Green Airport to greet travelers and collect contact information to help facilitate contact tracing, Raimondo said.

As for interstate commuters, the governor again urged all employers who are able to do so to allow their employees to work from home to help cut down on the number of people driving in and out of neighboring states.

As of Wednesday morning, New York state has more than half of all confirmed positive coronavirus cases in the United States, with a concentration in New York City.

Although Gov. Raimondo has not taken statewide action, the governor encouraged individual town and cities leaders to take shelter-in-place actions as they see fit, especially in coastal areas with a slot of out-of-state homeowners. Several communities, particularly Newport and Westerly, have reported an influx of part-time residents from New York and other states, Raimondo said. These summer homeowners are asked to self-quarantine for 14 days to help prevent the spread of the virus within these communities.

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